Advanced Prosthetic Arm
By PN: Paraplegia News, Vol. 63, No. 8, p. 48Publication Date: August 2009
Article features a new prosthesis in development at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) which allows individuals who have lost an arm up to the shoulder joint to perform movements while reaching above their head. The prosthesis has a unique control system including an array of sensors embedded in a shoe which allows users to maneuver the arm by putting pressure on different parts of the foot. A sensor in the hand of the prosthesis sends a vibration signal that tells the wearer the strength of a grip, allowing him or her to easily pick up a key or hold a pencil. The arm can be adapted to work with other control systems, including myoelectric switches, which are wired to residual nerves and muscles in the upper body and respond to movement impulses from the brain. A three-year study of the arm is underway with patients at the Providence, R.I., VA Medical Center, allowing engineers to refine the prototype before it is commercialized and made available through the VA healthcare system.
Published by: PVA Publications (Website:http://www.pvamagazines.com)
Paralyzed Veterans of America (Web Site: http://www.pva.org )
