A multiarticulate pediatric prosthetic hand for clinical and research applications
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Updated: Aug 21, 2025
A Structured Rehabilitation Protocol for Improved Multifunctional Prosthetic Control: A Case Study
Published on: November 6, 2015
Marcus A Battraw1, Peyton R Young1, Wilsaan M Joiner2,3
1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.
Insights
Researchers developed a child-sized, multi-articulate prosthetic hand with 6 degrees of actuation. This new pediatric prosthetic device offers advanced functionality comparable to adult devices, addressing a gap in pediatric limb difference care.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Rehabilitation Engineering
- Pediatric Prosthetics
Background:
- Pediatric upper limb prostheses lag behind adult technology, with most offering limited single-grasp function.
- High rates of pediatric prosthetic abandonment underscore the need for more functional and engaging devices.
- Existing research platforms for pediatric multi-grasp prostheses are lacking, hindering technological translation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a child-sized, multi-articulate prosthetic hand as a research platform.
- To provide a dexterous, multi-grasp prosthetic solution for pediatric limb difference.
- To facilitate research into effective translation of advanced mechatronic technologies for children.
Main Methods:
- Designed and constructed a pediatric-sized multi-articulate prosthetic hand with 6 degrees of actuation.
- Conducted comprehensive benchtop and functional tests using common household objects.
- Quantified grasping forces and evaluated device performance against established benchmarks.
Main Results:
- The pediatric prosthetic hand weighs 177g and provides 6 degrees of actuation.
- Grasping forces ranged from 0.424-7.216 N, comparable to adult prosthetic devices.
- The device is designed for ease of implementation in research and clinical settings.
Conclusions:
- The developed pediatric multi-grasp prosthesis serves as a valuable research platform.
- This device offers functional capabilities comparable to adult prostheses, advancing pediatric options.
- Further research is needed to inform the prescription and control of advanced prosthetics for children.
Abstract:
Although beginning to emerge, multiarticulate upper limb prostheses for children remain sparse despite the continued advancement of mechatronic technologies that have benefited adults with upper limb amputations. Upper limb prosthesis research is primarily focused on adults, even though rates of pediatric prosthetic abandonment far surpass those seen in adults. The implicit goal of a prosthesis is to provide effective functionality while promoting healthy social interaction. Yet most current pediatric devices offer a single degree of freedom open/close grasping function, a stark departure from the multiple grasp configurations provided in advanced adult devices. Although comparable child-sized devices are on the clinical horizon, understanding how to effectively translate these technologies to the pediatric population is vital. This includes exploring grasping movements that may provide the most functional benefits and techniques to control the newly available dexterity. Currently, no dexterous pediatric research platforms exist that offer open access to hardware and programming to facilitate the investigation and provision of multi-grasp function. Our objective was to deliver a child-sized multi-grasp prosthesis that may serve as a robust research platform. In anticipation of an open-source release, we performed a comprehensive set of benchtop and functional tests with common household objects to quantify the performance of our device. This work discusses and evaluates our pediatric-sized multiarticulate prosthetic hand that provides 6 degrees of actuation, weighs 177 g and was designed specifically for ease of implementation in a research or clinical-research setting. Through the benchtop and validated functional tests, the pediatric hand produced grasping forces ranging from 0.424-7.216 N and was found to be comparable to the functional capabilities of similar adult devices. As mechatronic technologies advance and multiarticulate prostheses continue to evolve, translating many of these emerging technologies may help provide children with more useful and functional prosthesis options. Effective translation will inevitably require a solid scientific foundation to inform how best to prescribe advanced prosthetic devices and control systems for children. This work begins addressing these current gaps by providing a much-needed research platform with supporting data to facilitate its use in laboratory and clinical research settings.
