Controlling a multi-degree of freedom upper limb prosthesis using foot controls: user experience

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Prosthetics and Orthotics
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Advanced upper limb prostheses, such as the DEKA Arm, offer greater functionality but require complex user inputs.
• Existing control methods for multi-function prostheses are limited, necessitating exploration of alternative control schemes.
• Foot controls for upper limb prostheses have been conceptualized but lack extensive user-based research and commercial availability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate amputee user perspectives on prototype foot controls for operating the DEKA Arm.
• To assess the feasibility and user acceptance of foot-based control for a high-degrees-of-freedom upper limb prosthesis.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative data collected from 36 amputee subjects using surveys, interviews, audio memos, and video recordings.
• The constant comparative method was employed to identify key themes from the collected data.
• User experiences were analyzed across three distinct iterations of foot control prototypes.

Main Results:

• Overall user feedback regarding the foot controls was positive across all tested iterations.
• The final iteration of the foot controls received the most favorable user ratings.
• Users demonstrated the ability to learn and adapt to using foot controls for operating the DEKA Arm.

Conclusions:

• Foot controls represent a viable supplementary control option for multi-function upper limb prostheses.
• The majority of users were willing to adopt foot controls for managing the complex functions of the DEKA Arm.
• With adequate training, users can develop the necessary psychomotor skills to effectively operate foot controls for advanced prostheses.