Invited Review: Neuromuscular implants: Interfacing with skeletal muscle for improved clinical translation of prosthetic limbs-Article

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Neuromuscular implants show promise in improving the use of prosthetic limbs. These implants interface with skeletal muscle, allowing for better control and movement. However, there are challenges to overcome.<br /><br />One challenge is the contractions of skeletal muscle, which can affect the implanted electrodes. Flexible electronics can help stabilize the interface and make it more resilient to muscle movement. Wireless communication is also important to avoid stress fractures and lead failure.<br /><br />Implantable muscle interfaces can be invasive and complex. Peripheral nerve interfaces offer an alternative with fewer electrodes, but they have lower signal-to-noise ratios. Miniaturization and implantation techniques need to be improved for these interfaces to be more feasible.<br /><br />The variability of muscle shape and curvature is another limitation. Muscle interfaces should be able to conform to these variations, which can be further complicated with regenerating muscle grafts.<br /><br />Power and data transmission are important considerations. Wireless transmission and energy harvesting techniques can provide power for these implants. Advanced prostheses could have high-energy training phases and low-energy performance phases that are powered by energy harvested from the body or the environment.<br /><br />Collaboration between engineers, clinicians, and patients is necessary for future advancements in neuromuscular implants. Long-term studies in clinical settings and improvements in implantable muscle interface design are crucial for the successful translation of prosthetic limb technologies.

Keywords

Neuromuscular implants

prosthetic limbs

skeletal muscle

implanted electrodes

flexible electronics

wireless communication

implantable muscle interfaces

peripheral nerve interfaces

muscle shape and curvature

power and data transmission