Tactile Feedback in Upper Limb Prosthetics: A Pilot Study on Trans-Radial Amputees Comparing Different Haptic...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Robotics
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Upper limb prostheses have high abandonment rates due to poor control and lack of sensory feedback.
• Improving control interfaces and adding sensory feedback are key to better user acceptance and function.
• Soft robotic prosthetic hands offer potential for improved dexterity and user experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the advantages of different sensory feedback types with a soft robotic prosthetic hand for amputees.
• To determine which tactile cues (contact, force, opening degree) and feedback modalities (vibrotactile, force) are most beneficial.
• To assess user preferences for sensory feedback in performing everyday tasks.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving five trans-radial amputees using the SoftHand Pro prosthetic hand.
• Implementation of non-invasive wearable systems for vibrotactile and force feedback.
• Evaluation of feedback modalities through performance in everyday tasks and user preference questionnaires.

Main Results:

• Participants preferred single feedback modalities over combined ones.
• The optimal feedback modality was found to be subject- and task-specific.
• Force feedback, when clear and granular, was indicated as potentially the most valuable feedback type.

Conclusions:

• Sensory feedback significantly impacts the usability and acceptance of upper limb prostheses.
• Personalized and customizable feedback systems are crucial for optimizing prosthetic use.
• Future prosthetic designs should prioritize user choice in sensory feedback selection.