Simultaneous Control of 2DOF Upper-Limb Prosthesis With Body Compensations-Based Control: A Multiple Cases Study.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Robotics
• Neuroprosthetics

Background:

• Natural arm movements involve simultaneous control of multiple joints.
• Current robotic upper-limb prostheses often lack intuitive multi-joint control.
• Existing myoelectric control methods are either sequential or limited in synchronized movement capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Compensations Cancellation Control (CCC) method for simultaneous prosthetic joint control.
• To compare CCC with conventional joint-by-joint myoelectric control in transhumeral amputees.
• To assess task performance, joint motion, body compensations, and cognitive load.

Main Methods:

• Implemented CCC, a body motion measurement-based control strategy, for simultaneous wrist and elbow control.
• Recruited four transhumeral amputees to perform the Refined Rolyan Clothespin Test.
• Compared CCC against conventional myoelectric control using performance metrics, motion analysis, and cognitive load assessment.

Main Results:

• CCC successfully restored simultaneity between prosthetic wrist and elbow joints.
• Task performance with CCC was comparable to conventional myoelectric control.
• No significant increase in compensatory motions or cognitive load was observed with CCC.

Conclusions:

• Compensations Cancellation Control (CCC) offers a straightforward approach for simultaneous multi-joint control in upper-limb prostheses.
• CCC provides a viable alternative to conventional methods, enhancing naturalistic movement without compromising user performance or increasing cognitive burden.
• This method holds promise for improving the functionality and user experience of robotic prostheses.