Clinical evaluation of UNB 3-state myoelectric control for arm prostheses

This report describes an attempt to conduct (in 1978 during a period of one week) an intensive, thorough, and objective evaluation of a prosthetic control system in such a manner that the evaluation avoids what are seen as shortcomings common among evaluation procedures described in the literature. The evaluation, in terms of benefits to patients, involved consideration on an interdisciplinary basis among an engineering team, prosthetics team, and therapy team. Nine below-elbow and two forequarter amputees participated. The device evaluated was the University of New Brunswick 3-state myoelectric control system, in the 12-volt version designed in 1975. This system is intended for use where there are not enough control sites to permit use of an Otto Bock or similar control system, and permits on/off control of a powered hand or other device in two directions from a single muscle. Observations on each patient by the 14-person evaluation team are summarized, and an Appendix presents questionnaires with summarized responses of the subjects and their families.