Exploring the use of interferential stimulation for somatotopic sensory feedback in prosthetic hands

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Most people who use prosthetic hands do so without a sense of touch. This limits their ability to perform tasks that require dexterity and negatively affects their quality of life. Providing sensory feedback is important to improve performance, increase a sense of embodiment, and reduce device abandonment rates. Non-invasive electrical nerve stimulation is a potential new way of providing sensory feedback in prostheses to mimic the natural sense of touch. This project involves a partnership between a Canadian research team with expertise in rehabilitation engineering and a British team with expertise in nerve stimulation. It will explore a promising method called Interferential Stimulation (IFS). IFS has advantages over other forms of non-invasive nerve stimulation. For example, it could cause less discomfort on the skin during stimulation, and the stimulation can be focused directly on the target nerve. This project will examine the nature of the sensations generated by IFS when applied to a person. It will also examine how the arm's anatomy influences the sensations evoked by IFS. This is important for determining the feasibility of using IFS in restoring the sense of touch. There are an estimated 86,000 Canadians who have had an upper limb amputation. This research could potentially lead to the development of advanced prosthetics, which can improve the lives of people who use upper limb prostheses.