Completed Projects

Assessment of the control and utility of multi-grip prosthetic hands

Description: This project will develop and validate an outcome assessment (the "Coffee Task") for multi-grip prosthetic control.  We will also establish normative values for upper limb prosthesis users. [Abstract]

Lab Contact: Mira Mutnick, M.S. mmutnick@umich.edu   

Funding: Department of Defense,  Award Period:  Feb 2023 – Feb 2025

Socket fit sensing and management system

Description:  The goal of this project is to further the development and testing of a socket-fit sensing system that can adapt to patient-specific changes in limb volume and can help prosthesis users self-manage their socket fit during post-amputation rehabilitation care and then during follow-up home use.  This expands on an existing device developed by Liberating Technologies, Inc.  (https://www.liberatingtech.com/active-projects/vasock/) 

Lab Contact:  Kristin Perrin:  kperrin@umich.edu 

Collaborators: Liberating Technologies, Inc., Andy Hansen, University of Minnesota

Funding: Department of Defense, Award Period: Sept 2020 – Sept 2024

A comparative assessment of conventional and adjustable transfemoral prosthetic sockets

Description: The objective of the proposed work was to enhance understanding of the potential benefits of adjustable sockets and inform clinical decision making.  We are exploring a range of outcomes that have been found to be important for prostheses including comfort, daily activity, functional assessments and quality of life measures.  [Abstract]

Lab Contact: Martin Kilbane, mkilbane@umich.edu 

Lab members: Jordan Kartes, Kristin Perrin

Collaborators: Noah Rosenblatt, Ph.D., Jeffrey Wensman, CPO, Tony Guitierrez, C.P.

Funding: Department of Defense,  Award Period: Sept 2018 – Sept 2023

Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interfaces for Restoring Individual Finger Movement in People with Upper Limb Amputations 

Description: This study will investigate use regenerative peripheral nerve interfaces to control dexterous prosthetic hands in three people with upper limb loss.   

Lab Contact: CJ Nwokeabia cnwoke@umich.edu  

Lab members: Jake Kanetis, Yi Liang

Collaborators: Cindy Chestek, Ph.D., Paul Cederna, M.D., Alex Vaskov, Ph.D.

Funding: National Institutes of Health,  Award Period: July 2018 - June 2024 

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