Vibrotactile Feedback for Prosthetic Limbs

假肢的振动触觉反馈

• 批准号: 6935040
• 负责人: RONALD Raymond RISO
• 金额: $ 12.09万
• 依托单位: INNERSEA TECHNOLOGY, INC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-09-01 至 2006-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/6935040
• 关键词: artificial limbs; biomedical equipment development; human subject; medical implant science; method development; prosthesis; sensory feedback; sound frequency; touch; vibration

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The functionality and user acceptance of prosthetic limbs and myoelectric prostheses in particular can be improved by providing sensory feedback. This project aims to develop a sensory system which prosthetists can incorporate into (or retrofit to) presently available myoelectric arms. The system will be non-invasive and is based on using an array of vibrotactile actuators to input coded information to the skin of the residual limb. Three categories of sensory information will be targeted for powered arms: grasp force, object slippage and either wrist rotation (i.e. pronation/supination) or span of finger opening. Prior work in developing vibrotactile strategies for sensory substitution has shown it is a promising approach. The implementation of that research into the marketplace, however, is being held up by a lack of suitable vibration actuators. The Specific Aim of this PHASE 1 project is to develop vibration actuators specifically for use with artificial limbs. The designed actuators will have minimal bulk and mass; consume only modest power; be inexpensive to fabricate; and require no maintenance. This project will develop novel solenoid type actuators, because optimal vibrotactile feedback codes require varying the vibration frequency and amplitude independently, and this can not be achieved using typical cell phone and pager rotatory motor based vibrators where the frequency and amplitude co-vary. The PHASE 1 work will develop prototypes of the novel actuators and test them for their suitability as input devices for vibrotactile sensory feedback codes for use with upper and lower extremity prosthesis users. In PHASE 2, the sensory feedback system will be extensively tested with upper extremity amputee subjects to optimize the coding strategy; validate that the system adds functionality to the prostheses; and demonstrate the reliability of the system components. Additionally, during PHASE 2, we will expand the user base to include lower extremity prosthesis users, where foot-floor contact and knee position information will be targeted.

描述(由申请人提供)：假肢和肌电假体的功能和用户接受度可以通过提供感觉反馈来改善。该项目旨在开发一种感觉系统，假肢医生可以将其整合到现有的肌电手臂中(或对其进行改造)。该系统将是非侵入性的，基于使用一组振动触觉执行器将编码信息输入到残肢皮肤上。动力手臂将针对三类感觉信息：握力、物体滑动和手腕旋转(即旋前/旋后)或手指张开的跨度。先前在开发感官替代的振动触觉策略方面的工作表明，这是一种很有前途的方法。然而，由于缺乏合适的振动执行器，这项研究在市场上的实施受到了阻碍。该第一阶段项目的具体目标是开发专门用于假肢的振动致动器。所设计的执行器将具有最小的体积和质量，仅消耗适度的功率，制造成本低，并且不需要维护。该项目将开发新型螺线管类型的致动器，因为最佳的振动触觉反馈代码需要独立地改变振动频率和幅度，而这不能使用典型的基于手机和寻呼机的旋转电机的振动器来实现，因为在这些振动器中频率和幅度是共同变化的。第一阶段的工作将开发新型致动器的原型，并测试它们是否适合作为上肢和下肢假肢使用者使用的振动触觉感觉反馈代码的输入设备。在第二阶段，感觉反馈系统将在上肢截肢受试者中进行广泛测试，以优化编码策略；验证系统是否为假肢增加了功能；并展示系统组件的可靠性。此外，在第二阶段，我们将扩大用户基础，包括腿部假肢用户，这将是脚底接触和膝盖位置信息的目标。