Research on integrating the human nervous system and artificial limbs is currently undertaking in companies such as: DARPA, Sandia National Laboratories, University of New Mexico, MIT, and MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston which can hopefully find the solution to biocompatibility between the mechanics of the limb and the nervous system. Sandia has created an interface scaffold using electrospun liquid polymers to create chains that form a fiber structure that provides electrical conductivity. Their basic idea was to create a connection between existing nerves and electronics with enough pores to let new nerves grow. This would then allow the limb to have the same sensory capability as a real limb. Although, this transplant is still years away from being fully developed for human testing, Sandia is just one of the many biotechnology companies to research the fusion of technology and the human nervous system.

 

           The Pentagon funds research at MIT for artificial limbs to be powered by spinal fluid. They have already created the brain implant section of the prosthetic but not a power that could be implanted by squeezing energy out of the patients spinal fluid. DARPA, who is partly funded by the Office of Naval Research, has a prototype using glucose that protects the neural tissues and to recharges limbs. As a result, limbs will no longer need to be recharged before and after daily use. The innovation was created and developed by Dr. Rahul Sarpeshkar, who continues to work on this prototype to this day.