Controlling an artificial arm with foot movements.
A history of prosthesis control techniques is outlined. An alternative approach to hand and arm prosthesis control is proposed, and a working-prototype model is described. Commercial artificial limbs have function limited by a small number of user-interface control channels, and they are awkward to operate because joints are turned on and off in a serial fashion and not in parallel. Because of natural anatomic and physiologic similarities between the upper and lower extremities, the foot and leg is an ideal control interface. A stocking laced with multiple sensors can provide input on multiple joint positions, and this information used to control homologous movements in a prosthetic upper extremity. One significant advantage of this form of control is simultaneous activation of multiple joints.
Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0114, USA. cluzzio@itsa.ucsf.edu
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Luzzio
D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001132:Arm / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001186:Artificial Limbs; D004566:Electrodes; D005528:Foot / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D012371:Robotics