Last updated: 2020-05-07
Requirements
The requirements necessary for replacement sense-of-motion functionality involve the following high-level elements.
Motion Sensing
Status: Viable
Organic Model: three fluid filled semi-circular canals, each at a right angle to each other, trigger neural signals through movement of specialized hairs within them. Each of the three canals allows motion detection along a specific axis (X, Y, Z). The laws of physics acting upon the fluid, namely the law of inertia, allows these organs to not only perceive motion, but the speed of said motion.
Engineered Models: there are several types of man-made sensors that are capable of detecting motion and acceleration. These devices are fairly well understood and are usually fairly compact. They can provide a good degree of accuracy and responsiveness, and in some cases, even surpass human-level performance.
Neural Translation
Status: Research Phase
Organic Model: the hairs within the three canals directly cause neural signals to fire when they are stimulated.
Engineered Models: while there are many examples in prosthesis solutions today that allow an electrode to stimulate a nerve ending, there are no known examples specific to this application. Furthermore, it is unknown whether a single neural connection would be adequate, as the organic model provides signals from several nerve endings (for each hair in the three canals) simultaneously.
Neural Transmission
Status: Research Phase
Organic Model: neural signals which compose the sense of motion are carried directly to the brain.
Engineered Models: there are no existing engineered replacements for the various nerves responsible for conducting motion signals to the brain at this time.
Available Devices
None
There are no devices that could be used for a motion sensory prosthesis at this time.
