A biomimetic controller for a multifinger prosthesis

A novel controller for a multifinger hand prosthesis was developed and tested to measure its accuracy and performance in transducing volitional signals for individual "phantom" fingers. Pneumatic sensors were fabricated from open-cell polymeric foam, and were interposed between the prosthetic socket and superficial extrinsic tendons associated with individual finger flexion. Test subjects were prompted to move individual fingers or combinations thereof to execute either taps or grasps. Sensor outputs were processed by a computer that controlled motions of individual fingers on a mechanical prosthesis. Trials on three upper-limb amputees showed that after brief training sessions, the TAP controller was effective at producing voluntary flexions of individual fingers and grasping motions. Signal energies were between 5 and 25 dB relative to noise from all sources, including adjacent sensors, indicating high degrees of both sensitivity and specificity for tendon-associated transduction. Finger flexions at up to three repetitions per second, and rhythmic tapping of sequential fingers were readily transduced. One amputee subject was able to play a short piano piece with three fingers, at approximately one-quarter normal tempo. TAP sensors responded linearly to graded forces from individual fingers, indicating proportional force control. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of restoring some degree of finger dexterity by noninvasive sensing of extrinsic tendons.