Introduction to somatosensory neuroprostheses

Although simple prostheses and orthoses date back to antiquity, there has been an explosion of research and development for neuroprostheses in recent decades. This is largely due to advances in basic neuroscience, neuroengineering, miniaturization and fabrication of electromechanical systems, development of novel algorithms for signal processing, and increased synergy among all partners, from the laboratory to the clinical setting and commercialization. This chapter covers a brief history and overview of the field, emphasizing the need for somatosensory function in motor neuroprostheses. Basic components of somatosensation and current approaches for providing somatosensory feedback information are introduced.