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Modern medicine can do extraordinary things – but how? This week, the Curiosity Podcast welcomes Dr. Sliman Bensmaia to explain how scientists are able to develop prosthetic devices that some day may be able to transmit a realistic sense of touch to their owners. An assistant professor in the Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University of Chicago, Dr. Bensmaia discusses how lab is working on cutting edge technology, and what's in store for the future of prosthetics. The Bensmaia Lab studies how the peripheral and central nervous systems represent the world around us. Dr. Bensmaia's research has led to groundbreaking insights about how we perceive objects and textures through the sense of touch, and may one day lead to prosthetic devices that completely restore a realistic sense of touch for amputees and tetraplegic patients.  More from Curiosity: For $30 off your first week of HelloFresh, enter promo code CURIOSITY Brain Machine Interfaces Can Predict A Bird's Next Song. Next Step: Human Speech. The Brain Famous For Being "Average" Jason Barnes Drums With A Musically Programmed Robotic Hand What's The Difference Between Early Birds And Night Owls? Additional resources discussed: Bensmaia Lab Bionic Touch Through a Brain Interface | Sliman Bensmaia | TEDxColumbiaCollegeChicago UChicago Discovery Series│'Brain Teasers: Cracking the Mind's Toughest Riddles' with Sliman Bensmaia Watch President Obama fist bump a robotic arm powered by a brain chipTo learn more about this topic and many others check out Curiosity.com, download our 5-star iOS or Android app and join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play Music, and everywhere else podcasts are found so you don't miss an episode! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.