MUNDUS project: MUltimodal neuroprosthesis for daily upper limb support

Area of Science:

• Assistive Technology
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• The MUNDUS framework aims to restore direct interaction capabilities for individuals with severe motor impairments, focusing on arm reaching and hand functions.
• It targets high-level spinal cord injury (SCI) and neurodegenerative diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Friedreich ataxia, and multiple sclerosis (MS).
• The system leverages residual user control, adapting to disease progression and severity through modular components.

Observation:

• MUNDUS integrates an antigravity exoskeleton, Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) for arm/hand motion, and a motorized hand orthosis.
• User requirements and interaction tasks were defined through expert focus groups and a questionnaire with 36 potential end-users.
• The system can be controlled via residual voluntary muscle activation, head/eye motion, or brain signals.

Findings:

• All MUNDUS modules demonstrated successful functionality, with user intention detection achieving 100% success.
• The system provided functional assistance for daily life activities, with most sub-actions achieving high evaluation scores.
• Preliminary assessments indicated promising usability and acceptance, with most users perceiving the system's usefulness and ease of control.

Implications:

• The MUNDUS platform offers personalized and modular assistive solutions, maximizing user involvement in their rehabilitation.
• Successful integration of modules based on individual user needs enhances functional assistance for daily living.
• The promising results suggest MUNDUS can significantly improve the quality of life and independence for individuals with severe motor impairments.