The bionic hand that returns the touch and does not need surgery
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The innovative prosthetic hands” My-HAND “is the result of an ambitious interdisciplinary project, which combines cutting-edge research in the context of biomedical engineering, materials science , technologies of bio-information with cognitive neuroscience, clinical neurophysiology and occupational therapy to solve a social problem which is the clinical and functional replacement of the hand, the persons to whom the limb was amputee. It is not just a new prosthesis hand, beautiful and technology, but it is the paradigm of the new idea of prosthetic hands. It has already been proven to work and is being tested on patients: is able to transform the thought in motion and to give back tactile sensations, even without requiring the need for surgery to be implanted on the person who will wear it. Will be put on the market at very low figures, to unite the spread of technology to a strong focus on social, typical, the latter, Research Institute of biorobotics of Sant’Anna School .
A real novelty lies in the aesthetics of the prosthesis, designed through collaboration that has been established between researchers and designers, during the project. “It ‘a prosthesis on display and not to hide”, summarizes Christian Cipriani, professor at the Institute of biorobotics and coordinator of the “My-HAND”, funded with over 400 thousand euro from the Ministry of Education, University and Research, which stands for “Myoelectric-Hand prosthesis with Afferent feedback Non-invasive Delivery”, dedicated to the development of non-invasive technologies to facilitate the recovery of sensory and motor functions of people who have suffered the amputation of a hand.
As part of this project has been developed the technology for prosthetic hands that combines “beauty” and technology.
“bionic hand” developed with “My-Hand” is in continuity with another project coordinated by Christian Cipriani and anche’esso just ended, “WAY”, funded by the European Commission, for the seventh Framework Programme, carried out by a consortium of partners, led by the University of Tuscany. With the project “WAY”, in addition to the “robotic glove”, the exoskeleton to restore motor control in the hands of people with problems in using this limb due to neurological damage, it was possible to develop the technology to “implant” the revolutionary new “bionic hand” without going to the operating room.
Now the prosthesis, “beautiful” and with a sophisticated technological “heart”, is ready for clinical trials and is located in the laboratory, for the latest verification. After passing the test with patients, researchers are convinced of the fact that established companies or start-ups are able to grasp and to “translate” the results of the project “My-HAND” in commercial products, soon to be put at the disposal of amputees at lower prices – for un’deaa – than a smartphone last generation. The market is potentially large: according to some estimates, every year in Europe there are more than 2 thousand new cases of amputation of the hand.
The hand, while translating movements in the intentions of the person who wears it and to which it returns even tactile sensations, does not require surgery to be “implanted”. The movements and hand grips can be activated and controlled through sensors in an almost natural (easily) wearable, which detect the nerve signals that pass through the muscles, when you perform these movements. So the intentions of the person can “become” the movements of the prosthesis.
The tactile sensors integrated on the fingers record interactions with the environment and – thanks to a system of small vibrators placed on the remains of ‘ limb – you can return tactile sensations, restoring also what researchers call the “return sensory physiological”. The great advantage of these technologies, which are derived from the project “WAY”, is the ability to be implanted without the need to move from the operating room and to act on invasive patient. To achieve these results, the team of the Institute of biorobotics followed a method equally innovative. “We started – explains the coordinator Christian Cipriani – designing the exterior, the envelope that contains the technology and, in collaboration with the designers of the ‘DARC Studio’ in Rome, we have developed a prosthetic aesthetically appealing.”
Alessio Tommasetti of DARC Studio in Rome contributed to the project My-HAND drawing the revolutionary prosthesis. “It was a very difficult task was a challenge – emphasizes the designer – but we are proud to have it accepted. Often we invaded the technical field of bioengineers with art and design, but abbiavo teamed effective in synergy we have developed a highly innovative concept. “
The characteristics of prosthetic hands developed with” My -HAND “are as follows.
– Appearance anthropomorphic five fingers
– Weighs less than 500g (including the wrist)
– External dimensions comparable to those of the hand of an adult woman
– Implementation by three electric motors Structure of aluminum alloy
– Transmission robust based on stiff links and sprockets
– Innovative patented drive system for the decline of the index and thumb opposition based on coupling “wheel Geneva”
– Control electronics integrated in the back of the hand
– Proportional Control muscle signals
– Complete closure of the fingers in less than 1 second
– 7 movements and took possible:
1. cylindrical (for large objects, such as a bottle)
2. bidigitale (for small items)
3. side (to grasp, for example, keys or credit cards)
4. index extended (by pressing buttons)
5. index flexed (to write on a keyboard)
6. adduction of the fingers (to hold objects between the fingers, like a cigarette)
7. rest (natural position of rest)
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