​ Day One: Wired to Move:
​Nervous System, Coding, and Prosthetics

The human nervous system works a lot like a coding and communication network. The brain sends electrical signals through nerves to control movement, react to danger, and gather information from the environment. Engineers and healthcare professionals use this same idea when designing prosthetic limbs, robotics, and assistive technology.

The Brain

• Control center of the body
• Receives information
• Makes decisions
• Sends instructions

Neurons

• Specialized cells that carry electrical signals
• Similar to wires in a circuit
• Signals travel from neuron to neuron

Sensory Pathways

• Carry information TO the brain
• Examples:
  • Touch
  • Pain
  • Temperature
  • Vision

Motor Pathways

• Carry commands FROM the brain to muscles
• Allow movement

Reflex Pathways

• Fast automatic responses
• Sometimes bypass the brain at first
• Example: pulling your hand away from something hot

When Pathways Are Interrupted
Examples:

• Spinal cord injury
• Stroke
• Nerve damage
• Amputation

Effects:

• Weakness
• Paralysis
• Loss of sensation
• Delayed reaction time

Adaptation and Technology

• Prosthetic limbs
• Brain-computer interfaces
• Robotic exoskeletons
• Myoelectric prosthetics that respond to muscle signals

Activities:
-Signal Jam Challenge
-Developing a prosthetic mockup

Resources for Review:
Nervous system video 
https://youtu.be/qPix_X-9t7E?si=W0Ykn46kTMYU5EcG

Prosthetics video
https://youtube.com/shorts/wcGOQl6lTlM?si=rGKYhm12mYmld1PI  

Day 1 Takeaway
The nervous system is the body’s communication network. Just like coding and robotics rely on signals and instructions, your brain and nerves constantly send messages that allow you to move, react, and interact with the world. When those pathways are interrupted, healthcare professionals and engineers work together to create innovative solutions that help restore movement and independence.