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Can bionic limbs feel real? a trial tests touch feedback for amputees

NCT ID NCT03135847

Symptom relief Sponsor: The Cleveland Clinic Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only This study
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 26, 2026 · Last updated Aug 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests whether adding a small device that provides touch and vibration feedback to prosthetic limbs can make them feel more natural and improve how well they work. Researchers will study adults with major limb amputations who use either advanced bionic or standard prosthetic devices. The goal is to see if this feedback helps with tasks like sorting objects and increases the sense that the limb is truly their own.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Tactor device providing touch and vibration feedback
What this could lead to
If successful, this could lead to prosthetic limbs that feel more natural and are easier to control, improving quality of life for amputees.
What could go wrong
The trial is early-stage and may not show clear benefits. Individual responses to sensory feedback can vary, and the technology may not work for all amputees.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 180 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Jun 2016

Expected to finish

Jun 2028

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 75 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: Inclusion criteria are adults (18 years or over) with major limb amputation (at or above wrist or ankle). \- Exclusion Criteria: Exclusion criteria are any skin or pain conditions that would preclude ability to withstand pressures on their limb or to wear a prosthetic socket, or cognitive barriers precluding providing informed consent. \-

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Amputation Prosthesis user

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The official record

    The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.

    Open the record ↗

  2. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

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