Those in the medical field of prosthetics (artificial limbs) are
faced with a daunting task—to mimic human body parts. Experts in
this field of study are quick to admit that the natural,
biological human body is far superior to anything that humans
can design. Yet, even though prostheses are clumsy, awkward, and
inefficient when compared to human limbs, progress is slowly
being made toward more human-like limbs. One step toward better
prosthetics is the ability to feel, also known as tactile
sensation. “[S]cientists from Northwestern University, in
Chicago, have shown that transplanting the nerves from an
amputated hand to the chest allows patients to feel hand
sensation there” (Singer, 2007). This new technology has the
potential to enable amputees to feel sensations such as cold and
hot, distinguish between surface texture such as smooth (like
marble) or rough (like sandpaper), and various other sensations
that biological hands can feel. Todd Kuiken, the lead doctor in
the research that was presented in the