Smart implants and prosthetics aren’t just replacements for lost body parts—they’re cutting-edge devices that integrate with the body, enhance quality of life, and sometimes even expand human capabilities.
They use electronics, sensors, artificial intelligence, and biocompatible materials to function as naturally as possible. Let’s dive into how these technologies are revolutionizing medicine and transforming people’s lives.
From Basic Prosthetics to Smart Systems
In the past, prosthetics were merely mechanical or cosmetic substitutes—a wooden leg or a plastic hand. Today’s devices are sophisticated systems that can:
- Respond to nervous system signals, allowing control of the prosthetic with thoughts.
- Transmit real-time health data through mobile apps.
- Adapt to movements and loads, making walking or grasping feel natural.
For example, a bionic leg developed at MIT enables people with amputations to walk at a normal pace without thinking about each step. It reads muscle signals and sends them to a robotic controller that mimics the function of a real limb.
Types of Smart Implants
Implants are devices inserted into the body. Smart implants go far beyond traditional pacemakers or dental implants. Here are a few examples:
- Neuroimplants: Like Neuralink’s chips, these help people with paralysis control devices with their minds. Recently, a third implant was placed in a patient with ALS, allowing them to “type” text and synthesize speech.
- Bionic organs: For instance, a pancreas with micro-sensors that monitors blood sugar levels and sends data to a smartphone.
- Cochlear implants: These restore hearing, while new brainstem devices do so without side effects.
These devices don’t just replace what’s lost—they add functionality that can sometimes surpass natural abilities.
Smart Prosthetics: Closer to Reality
Limb prosthetics are among the most striking examples of progress. Modern bionic hands, like the MeHandA from MaxBionic, are equipped with:
- Powerful motors for strong and fast grips (0.9–1.5 seconds).
- QUORA artificial intelligence, which filters out electrode noise and selects comfortable gestures.
- Touchscreen fingertips for operating smartphones.
There are also prosthetics with feedback. For example, the “Mio-Interface” system connects electrodes to nerves, letting the user feel touch as they would with a healthy hand. This addresses the “foreignness” issue, where users don’t sense what they’re holding.
Dental Implants: Aesthetics and Functionality
In dentistry, smart implants are more than just titanium roots—they’re systems with advanced technologies:
- All-on-4 or All-on-6 technologies allow for restoring an entire dental arch with 4–6 implants in a single day.
- Materials like zirconium dioxide ensure durability and aesthetics, without showing through the gums.
- CAD/CAM digital modeling enhances installation precision.
These implants prevent bone atrophy, evenly distribute chewing pressure, and last for decades.
How Do They Work?
Smart devices rely on several key technologies:
- Sensors: They measure temperature, pressure, glucose levels, or muscle signals.
- Wireless connectivity: Data is sent to smartphones or doctors via Bluetooth.
- AI: It analyzes signals and adapts the device to the user.
For instance, the MOIP leg prosthetic from the U.S. Navy is fitted with sensors that monitor infection risks and adjust gait, replacing X-rays. Neuralink uses robots to place electrodes in the brain with precision no human could achieve.
Pros and Cons
Smart implants and prosthetics are a breakthrough, but they come with nuances. Pros:
- Improved quality of life: From restoring hearing to natural walking.
- Durability: Dental implants last over 20 years, bionic prosthetics for decades.
- Integration with digital devices: Control via apps.
Cons:
- High cost: Bionic prosthetics and neuroimplants are expensive.
- Repair complexity: Fragile components require professional maintenance.
- Risks of rejection or infections, especially in complex surgeries.
Where Is the Technology Headed?
The future of smart implants and prosthetics is exciting. Scientists are talking about:
- Fully integrated systems, where prosthetics become part of the body, as in transhumanism.
- Implants that transmit images directly to the brain, replacing smartphone screens.
- Prosthetics customizable to lifestyles, like those from the company “Motorica.”
Russia is also making strides: a smart orthosis with adjustable stiffness or a bionic prosthetic from “Bionika 2.0” with silicone skin that responds to muscle impulses.
How to Access Them?
Obtaining a smart prosthetic or implant in Russia is possible through:
- Clinics and prosthetic-orthopedic centers working with manufacturers.
- Government programs: People with disabilities can get prosthetics for free through the FSS, though the process is lengthy (3–12 months).
- Private companies offering compensation or installment plans.
It’s crucial to choose an experienced doctor and verify the device’s certifications.