Demonstration Project on Prosthetics and Orthotics

Literature and surveys often describe weight and lack of function as major reasons for rejection of upper limb prostheses by amputees. By using a motion analysis camera system to analyse basic upper extremity tasks including collecting outcome measures such as joint angles, forces and moments, electromyography and energy costs, design criteria needed for improvement may be discovered. Path trajectories and velocity and acceleration of the movements may also provide information to advance upper limb prosthetic design. This research project will create a normal or average kinematic and kinetic profile and then evaluate current upper limb prosthetic design using similar techniques.  After gathering this information, design criteria will be established, improvements will be made and the changes in function and weight issues of the upper extremity prostheses will be documented.

Sponsor: US Department of Education

Co-Principal Investigator: Rajiv Dubey

Collaborators: William S. Quillen