Scientists and researchers are striving to achieve excellence in the field of medicine. it helps humans to lead normal lives even after being victims of any sort of disease or deformity. The incorporation of technology in the field of biology and medicine has shown wonders. The results are immaculate and make the lives of patients or those affected more convenient and easier. One such innovation is discussed below.
Researchers have found a way to rekindle the feeling of touch and the associated sensation at the tips of fingers for people who have met any accident. It often happens that people go through some accident and if their hand is involved in it, the nerves, sometimes, get damaged and lose the feeling of touch. The signals do not relay between the brain and the finger. As a result, the person cannot feel through that part of the skin.
The Tel Aviv University of Palestine has developed this technology. The device is basically a sensor comprising triboelectric nanogenerator or TENG that generates a charge when two dielectric materials are rubbed together. The same phenomenon is used here which causes our socks to be attracted to the carpet while walking. The material is inserted into the skin and connected to an undamaged nerve. When an object comes in close contact with the finger, the dielectric plates are rubbed together, creating an electrical signal or a charge. This charge is then sent to the undamaged nerve which relays the signal to the brain, invoking a sense of touch.
The tests of this research were run on rats, and they proved to be successful. In the future, scientists wish to carry out trials on humans with lost tactile sensation to see how much the experiment is effective. Moreover, the applications of this technology are not limited to fingertips only. They can be implanted in other areas of the body as well. More on this is published in ACS Nano.