Advanced Prosthetics
Between 1988 and 1996 alone over 700,000 people underwent upper limb amputation (Dillingham et al. 1998). The development of electromechanical replacement limbs has been hampered by the lack of robust sensors for touch and grip adjustment. We are developing prosthetic fingers that imitate the appearance, mechanical properties and multimodal sensory capabilities of human fingers, and integrating them with prosthetic and robotic hands.
Project Objective
Explore the benefits of multimodal tactile sensing in a prosthetic hand applications. This project has two primary focuses: the assessment of reflexive grip adjustment algorithms making use of tactile information, and to explore the benefits of multimodal conscious feedback to a patient in the form of force, vibration and temperature.
Specific Aims
- Manufacture BioTAC prototypes to integrate these devices mechanically and electrically with prosthetic hands to be used as experimental testbeds.
- Develop and test automated grip-adjustment algorithms that make use of sensory information provided by the BioTAC mimicking biological grip-adjustment reflexes.
- Develop a system to provide conscious feedback of touch to prosthetic operators that make use of sensory information from the BioTAC and available haptic display technologies.
- Work with prosthetists and amputees to obtain early feedback on the performance and utility of these systems.
- Refine grip-adjustment algorithms and conscious feedback systems based on operator performance and feedback.
- Demonstrate performance enhancement from automated reflexes and conscious feedback.
- Work with prosthetists and prosthesis manufacturers to integrate BioTACs into commercial prosthetic systems.