A man who lost his hand 17 years ago has been given the sense of touch through a brain-controlled robotic prosthetic. Keven Walgamott, whose arm was amputated below the elbow after an accident, can now feel 119 different touch sensations through the prosthetic as if it were his own limb. He is able to distinguish between large, small, soft and hard objects when blindfolded, and handle delicate objects such as grapes and eggs. Everyday tasks such as putting on his wedding ring, peeling a banana or holding a mobile phone are now possible. "The most amazing thing for me is what the team was able to do," said Walgamott.

University of Utah doctoral student Jacob George, left, and associate professor Greg Clark examine the LUKE arm that they use for their experiments. A man who lost his lower arm in an electrical accident was able to experience some sense of touch and fine motor control with his grip while using the experimental device. University of Utah doctoral student Jacob George, left, and associate professor Greg Clark examine the LUKE arm that they use for their experiments. A man who lost his lower arm in an electrical accident was able to experience some sense of touch and fine motor control with his grip while using the experimental device. Keven Walgamott, a real estate agent who lost his left hand and part of his arm in an electrical accident in 2002, got emotional when he was able to clasp his hands together and "feel" the space between his thumb and his index finger using a 3D-printed prosthetic hand in 2016.

A robotic arm allows amputees to touch and feel objects again by using the power of thought to control it. The high-tech prosthetic, developed by the University of Utah, uses microwires implanted under the skin, which send signals to an external computer that tells the arm to move. The arm even has sensors that transmit signals to the microwires, mimicking the feeling of the hand when it grabs something. This allows users to'feel' objects being held so the brain knows not to cause the prosthetic hand too squeeze too tightly. Fascinating video shows real estate agent Keven Walgamott, who lost his hand and part of his arm in an accident, able to pluck grapes and hold eggs without crushing them - and even put on his wedding ring.

"When I went to grab something, I could feel myself grabbing it. When I thought about moving this or that finger, it would move almost right away," Keven Walgamott said. "I don't know how to describe it except that it was like I had a hand again." Walgamott was describing the results of an experimental surgery to The Washington Post, where a prosthetic known as the "Luke" arm had been attached with electrodes implanted into his nerves. The real estate agent had lost his hand and most of his arm in an electrical accident 14 years ago, and he volunteered for the program at the University of Utah.