Artificial nerve systems for use in bio-interactive prostheses

Artificial nerves aim to replicate the functioning of the biological nervous system and are expected to lead to important advances in bio-interactive prosthetics. Population ageing is expected to increase the number of patients with neurological deficits or disorders worldwide and to drive increasing global demand for effective prosthetic solutions. Most current bio-interactive prostheses use traditional complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor digital computing and are primarily focused on the restoration or rehabilitation of physiological functions from an electronics perspective. These devices often place little emphasis on neurological compatibility. By contrast, artificial nerve systems consisting of neuromorphic devices offer a promising and neurologically compatible method to either bypass damaged biological nerves or act as an interface between biological nerves and a prosthesis. Artificial nerves are designed to restore lost sensory and motor functions in a similar way to biological nerves by providing biologically plausible and simplified signal processing. Moreover, artificial nerves provide power-efficient control of prostheses and improve users’ interactions with their environment. This Review explores the achievements and limitations of conventional bio-interactive prostheses and describes advances in artificial nerve systems that aim to increase functionality through the seamless integration and neuromorphic processing of biological signals. This Review provides an overview of non-biomimetic, biomimetic and neuromorphic approaches to bio-interactive prosthetics. Kim et al. highlight the advantages and challenges of artificial nerve systems for reducing computational complexity, improving biocompatibility and restoring natural sensory and motor functions in patients with neurological deficits.