By Dr. Mallika Marshall

BOSTON (CBS) – For amputees, robotic limbs that move like the real thing and are controlled by the mind are a game changer.

The “smart limbs” being developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are possible because of the Ewing Amputation. The procedure developed between MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital protects the nerves and muscles so the limb can continue to communicate with the brain.

“So being both the scientist and the user I have advantages that other people don’t have,” said MIT professor Hugh Herr, who helped develop the surgery and is leading development of the robotic limbs.