Prosthetic skin can now feel touch

Prosthetic skin can now feel touch

by Andrew Smythe

Engineers at Stanford created a new kind of prosthetic limb that could sense and touch just like a human limb. The prosthetic limb has the capability of sensing any kind of touch, and sending a chemical signal to the brain. Zhenan Bao, a professor of chemical engineering at Stanford and main contributor of the project, hopes to create skin that could sense the differences between any kind of physical stimulus, feel temperature differences, and possibly heal itself in times of injury. The first step was achieved by making the pressure sensing limb.

Bao and her research team used a technique called optogenetics, which was created by Karl Deisseorth. The idea was that they could alter the cells to sense differences in light in order to deduce a change in environment. Dependent on the frequency of light available, the cells would turn on or off. If the cells were to be turned on, then they would send the electrical signal, and relay it to the neurons in the brain.

The next step for Bao's research group is to apply a two-ply plastic construct method. The top layer of the construct feels pressure against human skin, and the bottom layer would create a biochemical stimulus that would serve as a signal for the neurons. In addition to the six available biomechanisms of touch, the two-ply method would create more possible sensations for the limb to feel

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Emotional Medication Through the Air

At the University of Sussex a study was conducted demonstrating how human emotions could be transferred through the human body, via the palm, without contact. The leader of the research, Dr. Marianna Obrist, explains this technology as a method to stimulate different areas of one’s hand delivering various emotions. Emotions such as sadness are stimulated by the outer palm and pinky. The thumb, index finger, and middle of the palm are told to convey excitement.  The system is called the Ultragraphics system.  This research intends to continue for other senses like taste, touch and smell.

On a minor level, I find this most interesting as I tend to lack control of my own emotions. As Dr. Obrist indicates this would be handy technology to have when emotionally unstable before work or another important event. He also mentions how it could benefits families when undergoing long distance relationships. Most importantly, those suffering sensory impairments will have experiences they never imagined. Making this new technology nearly unimaginable.

The news article can be found here.

Cold-Induced Pain Linked to the Garlic, Mustard Receptor

Depicted Above: Researchers Edward Högestätt, Lavanya Moparthi, Urban Johanson and Peter Zygmunt.

A group of researchers from Lund University in Sweden identified what causes the connection between cold and pain. Ten years ago they discovered the receptor that reacts to the substances in mustard and garlic. The purpose of this experiment was to see if this receptor also responds to cold, which seems to be the case. 

The research group's findings "increase our knowledge of the human body's temperature senses, [and can] also help all those who suffer from cold allodynia [: people] who are over-sensitive to cold and experience pain when exposed to cold." Edward Högestätt explained how these issues occur in patients containing chronic pain or diseases that affect the nervous system, like diabetic neropathy. "Patients undergoing chemotherapy can also become over-sensitive to cold as a side-effect of their medication. The discomfort and pain experienced by patients can start at relatively mild temperatures, within the temperature span to which the mustard and garlic receptor reacts." Peter Zygmunt states that we now know the mustard and garlic receptor reacts to temperatures under 20°C, thanks to this experiment. Additionally, the chilli receptor reacts to temperatures over 42°C (burning your hand), while the menthol receptor reacts to temperatures under 28°C (pleasantly cooling).

The research group believes that if the receptors that cause pain from cold temperatures are blocked, than pain will be relieved for individuals undergoing this issue. Because of this, drugs designed to block the receptors that cause itching, incontinence and pain are in the midst of being created. Potential new drugs for people who are affected by perfume, solvents, cigarette smoke, car exhausts can also benefit those who are over-sensitive to cold in the airways, since the mustard and garlic receptors are sensitive to this. I think this is very convenient for individuals who suffer from these conditions. New drugs that help people sensitive to these conditions can relieve a lot of stress and other issues that arise from these sensitivities. However, the expense for these drugs may not be worthy for individuals who cannot afford them, or even feel they are necessary. Pharmaceutical companies should definitely take this concept into consideration.

Article:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141113085154.htm

Related Article: 

http://www.news-medical.net/news/2006/03/28/16936.aspx

Altering Mosquito's Sense of Smell

On a hot summer day, hiking through a wet area, you find yourself being a plate of food for mosquitoes. By the end of the trip, you are covered in bug bites and the all you can think about it is cursing those damn mosquitoes. In a ScienceDaily article, it was reported that researchers have developed a way to alter an insect's sense of smell. Ocro was identified to be a gene that contributed to odor sensing in mosquitoes. When this gene was silenced, mosquitoes had difficulty sensing odors. Furthermore, the study showed that mosquitoes did not hold a preference toward a certain species (including humans). However, mosquitoes were shown to land on DEET (main component in bug repellent) covered subjects, but quickly fly away. Therefore, this indicates that there are multiple mechanism involved with sensing odors. All in all, orco was shown to interfere with an insect's receptors on sensing smells. As a result, future studies will dive deeper into understanding the other mechanisms involved with certain repellents and why mosquitoes prefer humans.

The Genetically Engineered Mosquito

The sense of smell is such an important way to retrieve information from our surroundings. It only took one gene to confuse a mosquito from its normal behavior. I believe that even though there is a genetically modified version of the mosquitoes that has no preference to humans, it would not survive in the wild due to the fact that humans are the most accessible type of nutrient for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes continue to favor Human for a reason. That is why the genes for this specific affinity were passed down. It was favorable to them, and those that could better sense Human odor better, survived more easily.