As of: 2026-10-19 09:28 CEST.
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Canonical page: https://postcutoff.com/v/nbc-news-ai-chip-amputee-robot-prosthetic/

# An AI-powered chip allows an amputee to control his robot prosthetic with his mind

NBC News, 13 October 2026, YouTube. 132,306 views as of 19 October 2026.
Kind: Review.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv8AATEgZkw

## Why it is here

NBC News report (~132k views) on a first-of-its-kind AI-powered implant that lets an amputee control a robotic prosthetic with his thoughts and regain a sense of touch. Linked to the Utah Bionic arm home-trial entry.

## Description (written by Gemini from the video)

**Summary**  
This NBC News *Future of Everything* segment reports on an implant and AI-decoding system developed at the University of Utah that enables an amputee to control a robotic prosthetic arm and perceive tactile sensations using neural signals. The report features neurotechnology pioneer Avi Davidson, Utah Neurorobotics Lab director Prof. Jacob George, and occupational therapist LeAnn Seckinger demonstrating both laboratory and daily life usage.

**What is shown**  
* [00:04] Avi Davidson playing chess against occupational therapist LeAnn Seckinger using the robotic hand.
* [00:19] Close-up view of the muscle implant connector and wiring attached to the prosthetic socket.
* [00:23] Laboratory computer monitors displaying real-time electromyographic/neural signal wave readouts.
* [00:50] Davidson delicately picking up and rolling a die into his other hand.
* [01:01] Picking up and sorting wooden blocks into a divided box.
* [01:09] Video of Davidson handling a raw egg and cracking it into a bowl without crushing the shell prematurely.
* [01:36] Laboratory software tracking multi-channel signal waveforms while testing grasp controls.
* [01:43] Slicing strawberries with a plastic knife using the prosthetic hand.
* [01:46] Davidson opening a *Magic: The Gathering* card booster pack.
* [02:18] At-home footage of Davidson using the prosthesis to push down and replace a trash can liner.
* [02:26] Using the prosthetic arm while shopping at a store to pick up items and place them in a hand basket.
* [02:44] Individual finger actuation and dexterity testing of the bionic hand.

**Claims & numbers**  
* Prof. Jacob George states the lab records "somewhere around a terabyte of data in a day" from signal measurements [01:40].
* The narrator states that Avi Davidson is the first person to take a device like this home for daily use [02:18].
* Prof. George predicts these implants and paired systems will be widely available within the next 10 years, noting they are working to condense the decoding technology down into the form factor of a smartwatch [02:27].

**Notable quotes**  
* "We're actually recording somewhere around a terabyte of data in a day. ... AI has found a way to interpret this massive amount of data and convert this data into control over a robotic arm, or convert the data coming out of a robotic arm to allow a person to be able to feel." — Prof. Jacob George [01:39]
* "I never thought that I would hold my wife's hand and feel it in my hand." — Avi Davidson [01:31]
* "If my accident didn't happen, I don't get to be a part of cutting-edge research and being able to try to help literally set the future of what prosthetics can be." — Avi Davidson [02:52]

**Assessment**  
This is a television news feature highlighting a real-world clinical neuroprosthetics trial. The video mixes recorded clinical evaluation footage and user-submitted home clips showing real physical grasping tasks and closed-loop sensory feedback without staged visual effects.

_Described by gemini-3.8-flash on 2026-10-19 from the video's audio and frames._

## Related

- 2026-09-18: [Utah's AI-decoded nerve-interface bionic arm goes home with its first trial participant](https://postcutoff.com/e/2026-09-18-utah-bios-bionic-arm-first-home-trial/)

What else happened that month, day by day: https://postcutoff.com/timeline/2026/09/