Evaluation of Myoelectric Implantable Recording Array (MIRA) in Participants With Transradial Amputation

When someone loses a hand or forearm due to amputation, controlling a prosthetic limb intuitively remains one of the biggest challenges in rehabilitation. This study tests an implantable device called MIRA (Myoelectric Implantable Recording Array) that is placed under the skin in the forearm to directly record the electrical signals from muscles — providing much richer and more reliable signals than surface electrodes can — to enable more natural, precise prosthetic hand control. The study is open to adults aged 22 to 70 who have had a single arm amputation below the elbow (or wrist disarticulation) for at least one year, can voluntarily contract muscles in both the front and back of their forearm, can communicate in English, and pass a neuropsychological assessment. A long list of medical conditions, medications, and implanted devices (like pacemakers) that could create safety risks during surgery or interfere with the device are exclusion criteria. Pregnancy, severe phantom limb pain, uncontrolled diabetes, recent cancer, and seizures within the last two years are among the key exclusions. Participants undergo a surgical implantation, complete prosthetic training sessions, and have the device removed at the end of the study. This research is important because it could pave the way for a generation of prosthetic limbs that feel and respond much more like natural hands.