Neuromorphic Feedback: A Strategy to Enhance Prosthesis Embodiment and Performance
Abstract
This proposal addresses the FY19 PRORP CTRA Focus Area of Retention on Duty Strategies. Objectives and Rationale: Our hands are a marvel of nature, allowing us to interact with the surrounding environment, communicate, and even relay our emotions in a variety of ways. As such, losing an upper limb imposes severe limitations in our capacity to work and perform numerous social and daily living activities. The provision of upper-limb prostheses and proper rehabilitation services can improve the overall quality of life and independence. Nevertheless, researchers are puzzled by an alarming rate of prosthetic limb dissatisfaction and abandonment worldwide. Many users relate that current dexterous prostheses are just too difficult to control, probably due to the lack of sensory feedback. In fact, no matter how good or how sophisticated a prosthesis is, without sensation, it is just an artificial tool attached to the residual limb. To address those limitations, we propose a novel closed-sensorimotor-loop control to dramatically advance current upper-limb prostheses. The enhanced perception provided by our approach will promote skillful motor control, facilitate prosthesis embodiment, and improve overall satisfaction with the prosthesis. Ultimate Applicability and Potential Impact: User satisfaction, daily use, and objective functionality will be much higher for amputees fitted with our proposed system. We will deliver a device that will allow them to function better in their activities of daily living and work. The core of our proposal is our novel high-density electronic skin associated with an advanced technique to provide stimulation to the brain. This system will facilitate the incorporation of the prosthesis into the body schema created by the brain, giving amputees a sensation that the prosthesis is part of their body. Types of Patients That Will Be Helped: Upper-limb amputees and their families will be the primary beneficiaries of this research. According to the National Limb Loss Information Center, 185,000 persons sustain limb loss each year in the United States. Recent studies estimate that by 2020, more than 60,000 individuals will have suffered amputation of a hand or complete arm. In the military population, patient statistics show that more than 32,000 Veterans were cared for in the Veterans Health Administration due to upper-limb amputation from 2001 to 2014. Extremity injuries account for four of the five most common causes to render a Service member unfit for duty. Benefits to Service Members and Veterans: The Department of Veterans Affairs provides excellent care and rehabilitation for Service members and Veterans. However, many abandon use of their prosthesis due to factors such as limited functionality and inadequate performance in the context of various needs. Proper tactile sensors for the prosthetic device and naturalistic sensory perceptions and embodiment of the prosthetic limb for the user are essential to improve performance and satisfaction with the prosthesis. Our solution has the potential to minimize the limitations of current prostheses by providing proper sensory embodiment, which will help retain the use in the activities of daily living and work for extended durations. This is particularly important for Veterans and military personnel whose functional goals go far beyond basic activities of everyday life. Potential Clinical Applications and Benefits: Current commercially available myoelectric prostheses allow only one or two degrees of freedom and are challenging to control. Furthermore, due to the lack of sensory feedback, the amputees must continuously monitor the prosthesis response to commands. Our research will provide amputees with advanced closed-sensorimotor-loop control. The proposed system will render sensory perception and could improve performance by allowing the user to “feel” what the prosthesis is handling. Furthermore, the closed-loop sensory
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 10, 2021
- Source ID
- W81XWH2010842
Entities
People
- Nitish Thakor
Organizations
- Johns Hopkins University
- United States Army