This image shows the study participant performing a squatting activity with different prosthetic devices. When the participant used his daily prosthesis (left picture) he had a limited range of motion and had to bend his back significantly to lift objects off the ground. When using a neural controlled prosthetic ankle (right picture) he was able to voluntarily control his prosthesis ankle joint force and angle and keep a healthy posture while lifting weight from the ground. Image credit: Aaron Fleming. by Matt Shipman — April 14, 2021 . RALEIGH – A recent case study from North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill demonstrates that, with training, neural control of a powered prosthetic ankle can restore a wide range of abilities, including standing on very challenging surfaces and squatting. The researchers are currently working with a larger group of study participants to see how broadly applicable the findings may be.