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A Structured Rehabilitation Protocol for Improved Multifunctional Prosthetic Control: A Case Study
Published on: November 6, 2015
Use of Accelerometers in the Control of Practical Prosthetic Arms
Summary
Accelerometers enhance powered prosthetic arm control by detecting limb orientation, simplifying user input. This technology allows for more intuitive prosthetic operation, reducing the need for users to compensate for body movement.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Robotics
- Rehabilitation Technology
Background:
- Powered prosthetic arms require advanced control systems to mimic natural limb movement.
- User control can be complex due to the need to account for limb orientation and gravity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the application of accelerometers in augmenting the control of powered prosthetic arms.
- To simplify user input and improve prosthetic functionality by integrating sensor data.
Main Methods:
- Utilized accelerometers to detect joint and limb orientation.
- Implemented a distributed microcontroller system with a control area network (CAN) bus.
- Applied the Southampton adaptive manipulation scheme for prosthetic arm and hand control.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated accelerometer use for correcting torque requirements based on limb orientation.
- Showcased the creation of a stable platform for held objects, irrespective of arm movement.
- Successfully integrated the system into a clinical powered arm for patient use.
Conclusions:
- Accelerometers significantly simplify control of powered prosthetic arms by providing orientation data.
- This technology reduces the operator's need to manually correct for body movement and gravity.
- The developed system offers a more intuitive and effective control method for prosthetic users.
