Neuroprostheses for somatosensory function

Somatosensation provides information about the physical state of the limbs and body and is a crucial aspect of motor control. Diseases and injuries that impair somatosensory function can be devastating, and can drastically reduce one's ability to interact with the external environment. As such, development of neuroprostheses that can restore somatosensory function is an important goal that has received significant attention since 2004. This chapter provides a review of these neuroprostheses and important considerations around their design and use. The first section of the chapter provides a brief overview of the somatosensory system with emphasis on aspects that are especially relevant to the development of neuroprostheses. The second section provides a brief overview of some of the various applications for somatosensory neuroprostheses. The third section discusses, in detail, some of the specific approaches and implementations of somatosensory neuroprostheses that have been undertaken to date. The final section of the chapter provides some insight into the future directions of development and testing of somatosensory neuroprostheses.