Neuromotor Prosthetics
Why Monkeys?

Human Skeleton

(Picture Source)

Human Brain

(Picture source)

Why should researchers experiment on monkeys?

In general, monkeys and humans are very similar:

Genetics,

• Human and monkey DNA sequences are 98% similar.
  
  
• On average, proteins common to monkeys and humans are 99% similar.

Anatomy,

• Notice the similarities of bone size and structure in these pictures.
  
  
• Likewise, human and monkey arm muscles have matching configurations.
  
  
• Because their anatomies are so alike, prosthetic designs for monkeys should apply directly to humans.

• Human and monkey brains share a common organization.
  
  
• The brains' neocortex, part of which controls conscious movement, makes up 80% of the human brain and 60% of the monkey brain.  By contrast, non-mammals have no neocortex at all.
    
  
• Notice the similar appearances of human and monkey brains.  The neocortex, visible on the brain surface, is more wrinkled in humans but is otherwise similar.
  
  
• Electrodes that can record from a monkey's cortex should also be able to record from a human's cortex.

Monkey Brain

(Picture source)