Muscle signal stability over timeMuscle atrophy in amputees and reinnervation can change EMG signatures; adapting to these changes is an ongoing challenge.
Intuitive multi-channel controlMost amputees have only a few remaining functional muscles; extracting independent control signals for 5+ fingers requires advanced decoding.
Chronic implant biocompatibilityElectrode coating and tissue response can degrade signal quality over months to years; materials and design must maintain performance long-term.
Physics limits
Limited muscle signals in amputeesBelow-elbow amputees have fewer muscles available; extracting independent signals for all fingers is more difficult than in intact limbs.
Latency and wireless bandwidthReal-time prosthetic control requires low-latency wireless data transmission; interference and bandwidth limit the number of decodable channels.
How it works
4 parts
Implantation
Subcutaneous electrode placement
Small electrode array is surgically placed under the skin of the residual limb, positioned to detect signals from muscles controlling the lost limb.
Signal acquisition
EMG recording
Electrodes detect electrical activity from muscle contractions, capturing the user's natural intent to move the limb.
Wireless transmission
Real-time telemetry
Implanted module wirelessly transmits muscle signals to an external controller worn on the body or integrated with the prosthetic.
Decoding and control
Prosthetic command generation
Machine learning algorithms decode muscle patterns into commands for individual fingers or wrist movements of a bionic prosthetic hand.
Spec sheet
Spec
Phantom X
Implant location
Residual limb, subcutaneousR (reported)
Surgical approach
Single outpatient procedure, same-day implantationR (reported)
Phantom Neuro is a neurotechnology company based in Austin, Texas developing minimally invasive neural interfaces for prosthetic control. The Phantom X system uses implanted muscle-machine interfaces to enable intuitive prosthetic limb control through natural neuromuscular signals.
Phantom Neuro's technology originated at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
The company raised $19M in Series A funding in early 2025, led by Ottobock, a major prosthetics manufacturer.
CYBORG study approved April 2026 to evaluate Phantom X in up to 10 Australian amputees.
