We Can (Re)Build It - Repairing and enhancement of the human body with neurotechnology
Record number: 627
Last update: June 2026
Type of document: Manuals or books
Last update: June 2026
Type of document: Manuals or books
Author: Silvestro Micera, Antonella Viola
Editorial data: Apogeo
Year of publication: 2025
Abstract:
Losing the ability to move, grasp an object, or sense contact with the world doesn't necessarily mean giving up forever. Neurotechnology research is working precisely on this point: rebuilding the connection between the brain, nervous system, and body when an injury or disease disrupts it. Neural implants, bionic limbs, and brain-computer interfaces allow the electrical activity of neurons to be translated into controlled movements or signals that restore sensation, opening up new perspectives in rehabilitation and personalized medicine. Many laboratories are studying how sensors, algorithms, and electrical stimulation can mimic the language of the nervous system, allowing a prosthesis to move in a coordinated manner or transmit tactile and proprioceptive information to the brain. Alongside therapeutic prospects, important questions arise regarding the cost of these devices, access to care, and the management of extremely sensitive neural data. Progress in bioengineering therefore necessitates a continuous dialogue between scientific research, social responsibility, and political choices, because the possibility of intervening on the nervous system opens up new scenarios that are already concrete in clinical practice.
Losing the ability to move, grasp an object, or sense contact with the world doesn't necessarily mean giving up forever. Neurotechnology research is working precisely on this point: rebuilding the connection between the brain, nervous system, and body when an injury or disease disrupts it. Neural implants, bionic limbs, and brain-computer interfaces allow the electrical activity of neurons to be translated into controlled movements or signals that restore sensation, opening up new perspectives in rehabilitation and personalized medicine. Many laboratories are studying how sensors, algorithms, and electrical stimulation can mimic the language of the nervous system, allowing a prosthesis to move in a coordinated manner or transmit tactile and proprioceptive information to the brain. Alongside therapeutic prospects, important questions arise regarding the cost of these devices, access to care, and the management of extremely sensitive neural data. Progress in bioengineering therefore necessitates a continuous dialogue between scientific research, social responsibility, and political choices, because the possibility of intervening on the nervous system opens up new scenarios that are already concrete in clinical practice.