Completed Projects
Biomodal Run/Walk Foot
Description: The goal of this project was develop and test a prosthetic foot that has one mode for walking and one mode for running designed by Liberating Technologies, Inc. This will enable people with lower limb amputation to use a single foot for all activities of daily life.
Lab Members: Kristin Perrin, Jordan Kartes, CJ Nwokeabia, Luis Nolasco
Collaborators: Liberating Technologies, Inc.
Funding: Department of Defense, Award Period: Feb 2017 – Feb 2023
Characterizing Limits of Performance Imposed by Upper-Limb Prostheses
Description: The goal of this study was to evaluate performance in individuals using body-powered and myoelectric prostheses to help address gaps in the literature. Using the haptic object (left), we assessed how well prosthesis users could accurately discriminate grasp aperture and object stiffness. These findings are reported in Robotics and Automation Letters and Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation. We also assessed prosthesis users ability to accurately achieve targets with temporal and spatial goals (Experimental Brain Research). Finally, we compared embodiment (Scientific Reports), movement quality (Clinical Biomechanics), and range of motion (Clinical Biomechanics) between body-powered and myoelectric prosthesis users).
Lab Members: Susannah Engdahl, Christina Lee, Michael Gonzalez, Jiyeon Kang
Collaborators: Brent Gillespie, Ph.D.
Funding: DoD, Award Period: Sept 2016 - Sept 2020
Optimizing the Controllers of Powered Prostheses with the Human Body in the Loop
Description: This project explored the idea of improving function of lower limb amputees with a powered prosthesis. While many such devices are currently being developed, it is unclear whether a person can use power from the device to reduce their metabolic effort, or what level of power we should provide the person. In this study we will monitor people with below-knee amputation as they walk on a treadmill wearing a commercial powered ankle prosthesis where the amount of power supplied and the time of power application can be adjusted in real time. With this data we hope to determine: 1) if increasing power supplied from a device can incrementally reduce the metabolic cost, and 2) if we can implement an online machine-learning scheme to automatically determine optimal control parameters for each individual.
Collaborator: C. David Remy, Ph.D.
Funding: NSF; 09/01/2015 – 08/31/2018 (no cost through 8/31/19)
Determining the potential benefits of powered prostheses
Description: The goal of this project was to determine how the addition of power to the push-off phase of gait affects the amount of effort required to walk, the time of muscle fatigue onset, and overall activity level of patients with transtibial amputation. Each participant visited the lab four times, twice with their current prescribed prosthesis and twice with the BiOM powered ankle prostheses. Between lab visits, they completed activity and GPS monitoring at home for two weeks, once with their device and once with the BiOM. During the lab visits, we measured metabolic cost with the Cosmed system, collected movement kinematics using Motion Analysis cameras and software, and measured muscle activity (EMG).
Lab Members: Jay Kim, Emily Gardinier, Vibha Vempala
Collaborators: Natalie Colabianchi, Ph.D., Jeff Wensman C.P.O.
Funding: Department of Defense; 09/30/2015 – 09/29/2018 (no cost through 7/29/19)
Assessing patient satisfaction and design priorities for upper extremity prosthetic technology
Description: Many new upper limb prostheses are being designed to increase the level of control users have over their movements. However, these designs are generally based on educated guesses as to what patients will want. In this survey study, we explored: 1) how satisfied individuals with upper limb loss are with their current prostheses, and 2) what risks individuals with upper limb loss were willing to accept if a prosthesis could offer a certain level of performance. Knowledge of these two areas will direct us and others in establishing design criteria for future prostheses. Results from the survey are published in Journal of NeuralEngineering and Rehabilitation and PLoS ONE. Results from the focus group are published in Disability and Rehabilitation
Lab Members: Susannah Engdahl, Breanna Christie, Jasmine Zheng
Collaborators: Cindy Chestek, Ph.D., Alicia Davis, C.P.O., Brian Kelly, D.O.
Funding: DARPA