Valerie Fortin

1
Controlling Prosthetic Devices

• Valerie Fortin
• BME 181 Spring 2013

2
A Brief History

• Prosthetics date back to as early as 1000 BC
• For much of history, prosthetics remained largely
  useless, with no or few moving parts
• Around the 1500s, prosthetics began to be able to
  assist in daily activities
• Ambroise Paré contributed significant advances to
  functionality of artificial limbs

A 1941 factory creating prosthetic limbs
3
Early Functionality

• Functional prosthetics (beyond an aesthetic
  replacement) began being made around the 1500s
• Goetz von Berlichingen created for himself a
  prosthetic arm which he could control with
  latches and springs
• Ambroise Paré improved amputation techniques and
  created several prosthetics
• Kneeling leg and foot
• Alternate materials

4
The 1900s

• The American Orthotic Prosthetic Association
  was founded during WW1
• Composites, plastics, and aluminum replaced iron
  and wood
• Microprocessors and computer chips allow for
  automatic and preprogrammed movement
• Silicone coverings made prosthetics more
  realistic-looking

5
Limitations

• Current mid-range prosthetics, while being able
  to perform simple tasks, lack delicacy and
  dexterity
• Patients have to deal with controllers and
  limited pre-programmed functions

• Current prosthetics do not provide feedback and
  as such are of limited use

6
The Future of Prosthetic Control
The old, wired hair-net system, costing thousands
of dollars

• Sensors placed around the head can read brain
  waves
• Older models were expensive, uncomfortable, and
  cumbersome
• Newer models are cheaper, require less
  preparation, and allow more freedom of movement

The new, wireless EEG system (Emotiv) which costs
only a few hundred dollars
7
The Future of Prosthetic Control (cont.)

• The wearer then trains a program by assigning
  certain thoughts to desired commands
• Similar to how speech recognition programs are
  trained
• For example, a man visualized pulling an object
  towards himself while his brain waves were
  recorded
• Then, whenever he would visualize pulling an
  object, the program would simulate the object
  moving toward him
• A prosthetic arm is being installed later this
  year which will hopefully provide sensory
  feedback and receive controls from the patient's
  brain
• Electrodes attach the device to the nerves in the
  patient's arm

8
Applications

• Aside from moving prosthetics, this
  electroencephalography (EEG) can be used in
• Virtual reality
• Smart homes
• Robotics
• Controlling wheelchairs with facial expressions

• The Emotiv system

9
Benefit to Society

• Providing functional prosthetics to those who
  have lost limbs would
• Allow patients to return to work, reducing
  unemployment and improving productivity
• Reduce the need for rehabilitation and counceling
• Reduce patient pain and dependence, lowering
  medical costs
• Lower the chance of infection leading to further
  amputation

10
Works Cited

• Amputee Coalition of America. N.p. Amputee
  Coalition of America, n.d. Hanger Inc. Amputee
  Coalition. Web. 28 Feb. 2013. lthttp//www.hanger.
  com/prosthetics/experience/Documents/economic-bene
  fits-prosthetic-coverage.pdfgt.
• Connor, Steve. "A Sensational Breakthrough The
  First Bionic Hand That Can Feel." The
  Independent. Independent Digital News and Media,
  17 Feb. 2013. Web. 29 Feb. 2013.
• http//www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-a
  nd-tech/news/a-sensational-breakthrough-the-first-
  bionic-hand-that-can-feel- 8498622.htmlgt
• How Products Are Made Artificial Limb
  lthttp//www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Artificial-Limb.h
  tmlgt.
• Le, Tan. (2010, July). Tan Le A headset that
  reads your brainwaves Video file. Retrieved
  from
• lthttp//www.ted.com/talks/tan_le_a_headset_that_r
  eads_your_brainwaves.htmlgt
• Longmore, Paul K. Artificial Parts, Practical
  Lives Modern Histories of Prosthetics (review).
  Project Muse. lthttp//muse.jhu.edu/journals/t
  ech/summary/v045/45.4longmore.htmlgt.
• Norton, Kim M. "A Brief History of Prosthetics."
  InMotion. Amputee Coalition, 2 May 2009. Web.
  Jan.-Feb. 2013. lthttp//www.amputee-coalition
  .org/inmotion/nov_dec_07/history_prosthetics.htmlgt
  
• Peck, Morgan. Prosthetics of the Future Driven
  by Thoughts, Powered by Bodily Fluids. Institute
  of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• lthttp//spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/biomedical/de
  vices/prosthetics-of-the-future-driven-by-thoughts
  -powered-by-bodily- fluidsgt.
• ""The Iron Hand of the Goetz Von Berlichingen."
  "The Iron Hand of the Goetz Von Berlichingen.
  N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. lthttp//www.karlof
  germany.com/Goetz.htmgt