JFIFBPhotoshop 3.08BIM&?Imagining natural and extra robotic thumbs together strengthens720260815PSCIENMAGUAuthoraImagining natural and extra robotic thumbs together strengthens kinesthetic sensorimotor networks Science@https://scienmag.com/imagining-natural-and-extra-robotic-thumbs-© 2026 Sciencehttps://scienmag.com/sA new study suggests that imagining movement with both an ordinary human thumb and an additional robotic thumb may do more than exercise the mind: it may strengthen the brain networks responsible for sensing and controlling movement. The research, led by Alsuradi, Hong, Korres and colleagues, examines how the brain responds when people simultaneously imagine […]ScienceTecTechnology and EngineeringTechnology and Engineering&brain response to robotic augmentation3expanding physical capabilities with robotic thumbs,human-robot interaction in limb augmentation'imagining movement with robotic devices,kinesthetic sensorimotor network enhancement(neural adaptation to supernumerary limbs)neural mechanisms of robotic limb controlRobotic thumb augmentation9sensorimotor network strengthening through mental imagery%sensory-motor integration in roboticssupernumerary robotic limbwearable robotic limbsC    !'"#%%%),($+!$%$C   $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$">!1"AQaq#23BRb$%C.!1"AQq2a#34B ?@( bNH T”P9)Abc=s.uX w8xgvχ8U4E)P1KzVB@':OٞΙnlf.ߢBK_,f-ईzڛZ$cU)iAȉ) %[>AՋ[^jRxW^_ mjW> 0>Mv5W qv}hھ!CIHIE*qCP@H{>[XmsB?ҺM9\nrkeǻ.{<`y*l&j'JeС 9ҧ 0rosWگKUl{b)ІԢ|'<5C]e"CKJ +\dy C8T0F 2E*)i)ĠR (8 6ҊP*4 \R&k}_5evӒtdB; q ϖ.:BK1--JӜ$G2޶g-a՝~TvJ:$!O]IxR/hגZi-;ZHéeXP™ Tb")ldv f\RS !j[T Kig]%sJ]IݞT 2|CUz1>T_`J(kT?qӟҩL`"\oT<*ɼ*4 {5&+e&p %?S% ES% NM &c)ء4aG)p.ysg6BsMLd() Ij7꽇Iwyl =%EղX) 9mnjaB_y-J}JQˊXeY$-@8ԛW_+=6NJ mr6tlVb G9+Z&Í⬭IyIU" m`nӜz2xAK$6섭$%I>>utrq% ?f+ήӂ6z-u;mhP'5R}?'L^%/FYA)B+un-EZַ5-NC( 7c4S龴dcsEP8SMt=+Նe eJ'μIQ'ʺn ]sc(|G?zAׁn&쯳[M/vM>:.7>MQ`9 S|N#TW>սnХ!%>%yZ{ihַZ.g^^IҐ-^YVs8L, ω--7 8`IV9}+*~>x[n9椗8.vfҕ`vQ5\M{+Wٓ~ iH>F[2!oB98)#ZLDFIyŽxہ5!Tmټڒr * =ٖI8쌎,nlv ܔ,+V\)f{2ʃcOd[tPK|%6HIed HpĕMAHm!1VYӡ Mv"kBXqY]R|5"Ѷx*Z %Fy;\;HG1Z N!MƮYPVN DఽJzG5gaAzg|7N2rUMphZ^iM<(E&(,x&)ɪ"e;&_aΥtRIN~xXڱU$-d!#~x:3WC(QZ\7kmD*tcNLܸ>b!^c >mu^8cr}h9[ !:MYS Pp:8Vx?~աju$:"'@cu5tLZ\:t49 DKtc'  $c#fS(P"}gtoTi9vT.{9) BI)g3TC\CHp)QiYjgvz̕!A 2 q#N@8U)GOO6'AC4P|q#GH!hoZ| NpO4wmҍ&+;C&~Z) K%EL 'F4=\Fk\WgVQ6'n=6duKk֭= žp {5Rq8Gih$(å9"NC rWg%^-t<+ SɫgV z@=o V0=L96ba{)n8SqEL-LjC^tr:!KRh*iI ̏& ;1mJ;>IN>CK5udʒZen(y2sPN,F6(%@QR%܎͍tr{C(O2Yu-${YڠF3mKRݒoӥlFN+2㊎ڶ/E`s.YԺ8{Oկ_ؐZ5C%)9+wˋÐJݴĝFFNgY/P$Qg"aKM%P6k-nSxL'^zN }- 巂A4DbmYܥ鑖ejy=/Q=55$LX݃ B_)?ZrXSMjAwPǀmȮ?*淃].ڧE'ILJc]Vsû;9#FM:rS9#3OAy\ $8dA;IZvne!2 IWNFG?h#sC[Wmk[K!26\+۬cup’A2Y!XخT<%ongp9}?g3#4{īj9Ǯ)Ka쩧%gQӷ;b6/+Q=ӹqR3 >q%jvB>! p6'=zTT)%l[ j3RSOd_e\Jҟ1u踱`HWNVpiR[5)O{#KtT*SO ӏ}VErq>(Np~)mXnKmbZ;y>s­MN'VJޣ0>=#iMGAE%2@tD芤\^٫$2UFhY>L[O~g?[HQز"Xm1-p+Ii_U*qԃ}Rtxo rsPе\( Npn>A'-lyKl#Hn$ljHrSyyq2HXR랜ϸW8_f2Oѹ_w>5(}ì5w14uD_BEFۻM.Mv)qqs]LrO.}ŠpųOKN-m29)zzϭR|XWըJ]@#5ƻX7AOZNq6=̷ځ=i~:v )y,AMUPow\]+Z1+uϻ' .Tde|I:s]C6E) Kx3}?rli ֏<0ӉL&\C4Rb:QVEmBUNHw&}ᢊ&cȾ'