Man Controls Both Prosthetic Limbs With Mind

Recently, Lesie Baugh, who lost both his arms to a freak electrical accident forty years ago, was able to move both his prosthetic limbs to perform daily tasks with just his mind! We have seen in the past one limb being moved, but moving both has never happened before.

Moving both of Leslie's limbs with just thought was a two step process:

1. A surgical procedure known as targeted muscle reinnervation is done first. This surgery reassigns nerves that once controlled the limb. This reassignment is vital for the mind to interact directly with the prosthetic limbs.

2. After the surgery, researchers worked with Leslie to identify which muscles of his contracted, and how well they interacted with each other. This is necessary to find patterns and to calibrate the limbs so they respond to the right signals.

Once the pattern recognition was done, Leslie was fitted with a custom socket that connected his limbs directly to his reinnervated nerves. Using his mind, he could do basic tasks like lifting a glass from one shelf and putting it on another, and grip a ball and move it to a different location. 

The next step is to have Leslie use his limbs in the "outside world" and see how it works for him. He desires to use it for simple things like putting change in a pop machine and getting soda out of it.

The researchers who have been helping Leslie think that this is just the beginning, and that the next 5 - 10 years will bring wonders to the world of prosthetics.

Watch the video below to see Leslie control his limb with his mind, and hit the source link for more details.

Source: Science Alert

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Prosthetic Hand Lets Amputees Feel Texture Of Objects

Over the years, prosthetic hands are becoming more and more viable for people who lose their hands in accidents or were perhaps not born with one. Prosthetic limbs are great in that they help the users get back to daily routine operations. The one thing that most prosthetic limbs don't do however, is allow the wearer to feel the texture of objects that they grip. Scientists at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH have taken the prosthetic hand one step ahead by adding sensation and "feel" to the hand they have created. 

"Touch perception on the fingers and hand is essential for fine motor control, contributes to our sense of self, allows for effective communication, and aids in our fundamental perception of the world." ^[1]

Turns out, sensation is not felt or generated by a hand but by a certain part of the brain. When a person lose their hand, they inherently lose the input that switches on those parts of the brain responsible for sensation. By sending electric signals by a computer into nerves in the user's arm and eventually to a specific part of the brain, sensation or touch can be reactivated.

Igor Spetic, a man who lost his right hand in an industrial accident in 2005, says that he can see his arm hair raise when a cotton is brushed against his prosthetic hand.

Since the amputees can now feel the texture of the object they are handling, they also know exactly how much pressure to apply to form their grip without damaging the object. With other prosthetic hands, gripping tomatoes and grapes meant creating juice instantly!

Currently, this arm can be tested and improved only in a lab setting, however, the team plans to create an implantable hand in the next five years so it could be tested at home. Detailed description of how this hand works was published in this article.

Watch the video to learn about all the research that has been going on to make this hand a success.



Source: CWRU via Gizmodo, Science Translational Medicine [1] 

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Google Glass For Prosthetics And Blind Athletes

Google Glass, 3D printing, Prosthetics! We have heard so much about these in the recent past, and we will keep hearing about them since things are progressing so well in each of these avenues! Today, we have two different stories related to Google Glass - one, that will help people get cheaper prosthetics, and two, a blind paralympian using Google Glass to show kids his point of view and boost their confidence.

Prosthetics With Google Glass

Traditionally, getting prosthetics requires traveling to a clinic where a huge measuring machine with a robotic arm determines the specifications for the needed leg brace or prosthetics. Of course, this process is not inexpensive since the machine itself costs tense of thousands of dollars, and typically, the clinic would like to pass on costs to clients.

This will soon hopefully change. A research team at University of Delaware is exploring more affordable and convenient ways to do the exact same thing, but without the additional exorbitant costs of getting prosthetics from a traditional clinic.

The team is using Google Glass to capture all the information of the foot and lower leg in videos. These videos are then stitched together to get a 3D model of the cast and then instantly transformed into a template for a 3D printer. This method will first of all, cut down costs for the patients and second of all, make it convenient to go through this process at home without even going to the clinic to get the measurements taken. The patient can print the leg brace at home if they have a 3D printer or send it to a 3D printing lab or studio.

The team will soon be applying for funding to expand into prosthetic manufacturing as well.

A combination of technology like Google Glass and 3D printing helps bring manufacturing to everyday consumers who are not engineers or manufacturers.

Google Glass And A Blind Paralympian

Disability advocates are always looking for different ways to showcase abilities, and not disabilities of disabled people. Google Glass will be used for just that purpose.

Lex Gilette is a blind paralympian who began to lose his sight when he was seven years old. He has won three silver medals and holds the world record for long jump for F11 classified athletes. Being blind, he has to depend on someone to direct him down the runway and make calls for him on the fly.

"No need for sight when you have a vision."

Lex's plan is to wear Google Glass and show his perspective to high school kids so they could see what all it entails, and how a blind paralympian does it. The idea is to show kids that everything is possible, and how being not able bodied does not cause hindrance to your goals. Through Google Glass, Lex aims to make high school kids more confident.

Hit the source links to read more about both the stories.

Source: Newsworks (1), Fast Coexist (2)

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Parrot Speak To Call: Hands Free Phone Software

As we saw in the last post, spinal cord injuries or paralysis can render arms unusable. Anyone with not so good motor skills also have difficulty using their fingers and hands to perform daily operations, thus making them depend on others around them to get things done. One of those things can be getting help to make and receive phone calls - a process that seems fairly simple, but without the use of arms, can be quite a bit of a challenge. It is quite possible that someone may not be around all the time, and waiting for a friend or caregiver to come check in on them may be the only option for quite many people.

To alleviate this problem, Parrot "Speak to Call" provides a very convenient solution. A software that runs on Windows PC along with Dragon Naturally Speaking and Microsoft Speech (comes with Windows), Parrot helps make and receive phone calls by just using speech. The interface is very simple and minimal with just the essential options displayed. The software comes with a few "lists" of its own (Family, Friends, Professionals & Businesses and Work), to which you can add contact information and their phone numbers. Of course, it gives you the ability to add more lists too if the four it comes with are not enough. With just one word commands, Parrot can make making and receiving phone calls a breeze. Check out the quick videos below to see Parrot "Speak to Call" in action.

Set up is very simple (make sure you know how to enable your speech recognition software). The best part is that you don't require a phone line or need to hook it up to your existing phone line. It works on its own and does not depend on any other hardware accessories (except the USB headset you will be using to make calls) which typically complicate set up and use, and make things difficult to fix if they break. When you sign up, they give you a phone number as well.

A very good solution for people who don't have good motor skills or cannot use their arms because of paralysis or other spinal cord injuries. This software can also be used by bedridden people or  those who cannot move a lot because of sickness or old age to call their caregiver to let them know if they need anything.

Signing up requires a one time fee of $99 and a monthly $39 fee for unlimited calling within USA and Canada (month to month; no contract). $10 from each sale also goes to charity!

Go to Parrot's website to learn more about this product.

Website: www.speaktocall.com

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WHILL: World's Most Advanced Personal Mobility Device Starts A Kickstarter Campaign

In the recent past, WHILL has received a lot of coverage and recognition for all the right reasons. A personal mobility device that gives an amazing level of flexibility, control, maneuverability as well great comfort and design. This personal mobility device has become so popular recently that its first batch, scheduled for delivery in July, is completely sold out, and the second batch, scheduled for August, is almost 80% preordered. 

This device definitely has some features that have been really well thought out by its designers, especially its arms that can be adjusted for easy sitting, electronic seat sliding forward and backward for easy table access and comfort, and not to mention its ability to maneuver any type of terrain - snow, grass, gravel, or anything else, thanks to four wheel drive, and its ability to be controlled by a phone app!

The team behind WHILL just launched a Kickstarter campaign to promote their device and receive more funding to keep enhancing this already wonderful device. To know more about this personal mobility device, see it in action and to support the campaign, head over to their Kickstarter campaign page!

Read more about the honorable mention the team got at the Red Dot Award 2014 here.

WHILL Kickstarter.
WHILL Website.
 

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Cyabathlon: Sporting Event For People With Disabilities

There is a lot going on in the assistive technology world - newer and exciting advancements are happening all the time. However, the purpose of assistive technology is not just to provide suitable accommodations and make life easier for people with disabilities but also to take things to the next level - make them competitive; help them become true sportsmen.

To bring that philosophy to reality, Cybathlon, a championship for people with disabilities, will take place in Zurich on 8 October 2016. The event is open to everyone who wear prosthetic limbs; use exoskeletons, powered wheelchairs or brain interfaces. The people competing can either use commercially available products or prototypes made by individuals or research labs. There would be two medals for each event - one for the "pilot" (the person driving or using the device) and the other for the manufacturer of said device.



 Pilots will be participating in the following disciplines:

• Arm Prosthetic Race: Amputees wearing prosthetic upper arm limbs will be required to complete two hand tasks as quickly as possible.
• Brain Computer Interface Race: Pilots will wear a brain interface that will be used to control their avatar in a horse race or car race game.
• FES Bike Race: Pilots with complete spinal cord injuries will be given Functional Electrical Simulation devices which will enable them to pedal on a circular track.
• Leg Prosthetics Race: Pilots with lower limb prosthetics will be competing in a race with tasks and hurdles.
• Powered Exoskeleton Race: Pilots wearing exoskeleton will be walking in a circuit with various tasks, elements and hurdles.
• Powered Wheelchair Race: Similar to the Exoskeleton Race, pilots who are on powered wheelchair will be steering their wheelchairs along a particular course with various obstacles.

As an example, here is what the Leg Prosthetic Race circuit looks like (click to enlarge):

The Cybathlon is not just for promoting competitiveness among people with disabilities - there are some very noble aspirations attached to it. First and foremost, to keep encouraging companies and research labs to produce cutting edge assistive technology devices. Second, to make the common public aware of all the challenges and opportunities that assistive technology provides, and last, but not the least, to enable pilots to compete in various races!

This is a unique way to bring excitement into the assistive technology world and to everyone involved in this area. Keep an eye on this event. I will post again about Cybathlon as more information becomes available!

Website: Cybathlon

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Disability Hacker: A Great Blog For Hacks Around The House For Disabled People

We depend so much on technology these days that more often than not, we sideline some of the most basic and trivial things and concepts that can be extremely beneficial in performing day to day activities. We are constantly looking at the next cutting edge technology that is going to revolutionize the assistive technology world, but how often do we scrutinize the very ordinary and simple things around us that can make everything easy and wonderful?

I recently stumbled across a blog that does just that - instead of focussing on top of the line technological marvels, it looks at the simplest of items around us that prove to be, well, magical of sorts. If you go to Disability Hacker, you will find all sorts of workarounds, gadgets, ideas that are either readily available or can be easily brought to life ("hacked"). From single handed soap dispensers to knives (helpful for amputees), from cracking an egg single handedly using a special (readily available on Amazon!) gadget to chopping vegetables, this blog is full of ideas and mechanisms that will help anyone with not so good motor skills to perform daily activities without trouble. Has taking care of a pet always been a challenge because of your disability? They have tips on how to take best care of your pet - what items to buy and where that doesn't involve a lot of physical work. For someone who has mobility issues, going around the house and turning off all the lights around the house can be quite a cumbersome process. Did you know you could connect your lights to remote controlled sockets and turn them off all at once while relaxing in your favorite chair? Don't thank me, thank the Disability Hacker! 

I am glad blogs like Disability Hacker exist. What I realized after reading that blog is simplicity is everywhere, and provides a great deal of convenience and comfort. All we have to do is look for it and appreciate it!

Head to the Disability Hacker to know more about hacks around the house! On Twitter , they are @hackdisability.

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$100 3D Printed Prosthetic Limb

3D printers are all the rage these days. From children's drawings to a working gun (GASP!), there is practically nothing impossible to print using one of these.

Mick Ebeling, CEO of Not Impossible Labs decided to do something when he read about 14 year old boy Daniel losing his arm in a bomb blast in war torn Sudan. Mick landed in Sudan with a few laptops and 3D printers, with the sole objective of making Daniel a limb.

Daniel was located in a refugee camp in Yida, South Sudan, and was given his first "version 1" limb by Mick. The limb took around $100 in raw materials and the 3d printer was able to print it out in just six hours. For the first time in two years, Daniel was able to feed himself (he had chocolate!). The video below show him doing daily activities like using a touch screen computer and throwing a ball. From what is shown, it looks like adapting to the new limb is fairly quick.

Before leaving Sudan, Mick set up a lab so the locals could print artificial limbs themselves.

Version 1 of the limb does come with some limitations. It cannot be used to lift heavy weights, and to use utensils, additional accessory is required. But still, the levels of  independence and confidence they bring to the person wearing them are enormous. Mick has made the project open source so anyone could work on it and keep improving version 1. The vision here is to create a global campaign that helps amputees from around the world achieve independence with a product that is inexpensive yet reliable. Version 1 can help someone get adjusted to artificial limb quickly - If someone needs something more robust, they can perhaps upgrade to other options.

Source: Inhabitat
More here: Not Impossible Labs


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Tongue Driving System: Tongue Controlled Wheelchair For Quadriplegics

Professor Maysam Ghovanloo at Georgia Tech has been working hard since 2005 on a system that lets a user control their wheelchair with their tongue. Tongue! His research has borne fruit, and the results are pretty incredible.

This system is most beneficial for people who have high level spinal cord injuries or are quadriplegic.

This is how it works: The user has a magnet placed inside their tongue in the form of a piercing. The

user also wears a headset which actually detects the location of the magnet as the tongue moves. The location is grabbed and wirelessly communicated to an app installed on the user's phone which in turn sends it to the wheelchair and the command is finally executed.

This method is found to be three times faster than the traditional sip and puff method.  Not only can it be used to just maneuver a wheelchair, but to play video games and use computers or phones too. 11 volunteers helped with the testing and it was found that their performance significantly improved between training session one and two, suggesting how easy it is to use.

The idea behind the study was not just to see how accurate and fast TDS (Tongue Driving System) is but also to prove to insurance companies that tongue control is indeed useful.

The next step in this research is to enhance the TDS by getting rid of the headset.

Watch this video to learn more about what professor Ghovanloo has to say about TDS.

Go here if you are interested in reading the published paper.

Source: The Verge

Image sources: Examiner, Georgia Tech Research News

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Morph Wheels: Wheels That Fit In A Bag

We saw last month the state of the art WHILL Type A wheelchair that has so much to offer than just style and elegance. However, for people who use wheelchairs fairly regularly and travel quite a bit, wheelchairs can be something that are not easy to deal with. Extra arrangements have to be made while making travel plans, and more often than not, a traveling companion's help is required to get in and out of the car/taxi, store the wheelchair properly, get in and out of the plane, etc.

This is where Morph Wheels come to the rescue! Morph Wheels are the first ever foldable wheels for wheelchairs that make moving around and traveling a whole lot easier. These wheels fold to almost half their size and can be easily stored in a bag which ultimately makes moving in and out of cars, taxis, planes a breeze. If you are in a car, these wheels are just another piece of luggage, which makes room for all the other luggage you are carrying with you, and also does not require a bigger car to accommodate the wheelchair. In planes, Morph Wheels can be easily tucked into the overhead compartment.

The wheels come with a fail safe feature too - in order to fold the wheels, the quick release axle needs to be inserted through the hub of the wheel, thus ensuring complete safety of the user. Once folded, the tire on the wheel can be easily replaced without the need of special tools too.

These wheels are priced at $950 and can be ordered directly from their website.

Watch this video to see how Morph Wheels work and what users have to say about them.



Just yesterday, Maddak, the company that makes Morph Wheels was awarded the 2013 Popular Science Best of What's New award in the Health category. Maddak was chosen from a pool of thousands who apply for this award. To read more about the award, Morph Wheels, and Maddak, proceed to read the full press release.

PRESS RELEASE

Morph� Wheels Wins 2013 Popular Science Best of What�s New Award in Health
First-Ever Foldable Wheelchair Wheel Enhances Mobility for Disabled

Maddak, Inc. today announced Morph� Wheels, the first-ever foldable wheelchair wheels, received the 2013 Popular Science Best of What's New award in the Health category. The awards were announced in the December issue of the magazine on newsstands November 12th. Each year, Popular Science reviews thousands of new products and chooses the top 100 winners across 12 categories for inclusion. Morph� Wheels were chosen for their significant innovation and advancement of wheelchair functionality.

�We�re honored to receive such a prestigious award from Popular Science,� said Kathleen Hanek, Director of Operations and Product Management at Maddak, Inc.  �Morph� Wheels were created in true collaboration with the wheelchair user community and we�re proud to have developed a product that addresses a real need.�

Morph� Wheels transform the daily lives of wheelchair users by increasing their mobility and freedom. They fit all manual wheelchairs that accommodate a wheel with a quick release axle and will not fold as long as the release axle is inserted through the wheel hub. When folded, the compact size makes them particularly convenient for travel. For instance, they can fit into the overhead bin of an airplane, reducing the potential for damage. It also increases accessibility to car travel as the wheels can fit into cars of any size including small compact cars and taxis. For more information visit Morph� Wheels and www.morphwheels.com.

�The Best of What's New Awards is our magazine's top honor, and the 100 awardees are selected from a pool of thousands. Each winner is handpicked and revolutionary in its own way. Whether they're poised to change the world or simply your living room, the Best of What's New awardees challenge us to the see the future in a new light," said Cliff Ransom, Executive Editor of Popular Science.

About Maddak

Maddak Inc. manufactures products that simplify the tasks of daily living - eating, drinking, dressing, grooming, bathing, toileting - for seniors, people with disabilities and people undergoing rehabilitation. The company mission is to provide quality products that enable people to maximize their independence and remain active despite any limitations they may face. Marketed under the Ableware� brand name, the Maddak product line includes over 500 products sold through medical and hospital supply centers, pharmacies, homecare centers and internet outlets. Established in 1971, Maddak Inc., headquartered in Wayne, NJ is the largest U.S. manufacturer of assistive devices, clinical modalities and home healthcare and rehabilitation products.

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DexType: Virtual Keyboard For Leap Motion Controller

Leap Motion controller, that allows you to control your computer by using gestures (sometimes just a flick of a finger is enough), was made available to the public on Monday. Of the very few apps that are available in the Leap Motion, one that truly stands out, and is extremely useful for people with impaired motor skills (whose skills may not be strong enough to use a physical keyboard) is an app called DexType.

DexType is a virtual keyboard that lets you type by just using gestures in the air. To type, the user just "bounces" from one key to another. The keys are aligned in a line at the bottom of the screen, and the user can switch to one of many keyboard formats with QWERTY, of course, being one of them. The beauty of DexType is that typing can be achieved by using only two fingers one one hand. Using just one hand for typing would be beneficial for people who may have only one hand functional and/or one of their hands is paralyzed.

DexType also comes with tools that help users navigate the web without the use of a keyboard and mouse. Going to any website, composing and sending emails, following links and doing every task that you would typically do on the web is a breeze with DexType.

Here is a quick demo of DexType in action.

This app is available for Google chrome here for free till August 7. After that, the free version will be ad supported and a premium ad free version will be available for $4.99.

Read the following press release for more detailed and specific information about DexType.

PRESS RELEASE

On Monday, the LEAP Motion gesture recognition device finally became available to everyone.  The first generation of software for the LEAP includes some incredible programs, but we believe that gesture recognition can be used for so much more than just playing games.  We're proud to announce the release of DexType, which changes the LEAP from an entertaining gadget into a genuinely useful tool by providing an alternative to the most important peripheral device of all - the keyboard.

DexType is the world's first truly "virtual" keyboard, a system that allows users to type using nothing more than gestures in the air.  The keys are arranged at the bottom of the screen in a single line.  The sequence of letters is a linear arrangement of the familiar QWERTY keyboard.*  To type, the user simply bounces from key to key.

DexType gives you a lot of leeway to be imprecise with your keystrokes.  It treats keystrokes as groups instead of as discrete letters, and processes input with a disambiguation algorithm to predict the intended output.  This means that even with gibberish input, such as "nxopl", the system will still produce a word - "hello".  The most likely output is predicted based on the available possibilities, and if necessary the user can select from other options with a simple swiping gesture.

If definitive keystrokes are required (such as for acronyms, usernames, or passwords), they are easily available by simply pressing deeper.  Numbers and symbols are accesible through a separate layout, but can also be produced via handwriting recognition.  Punctuation can be produced via chords - pressing two keys at the same time in specific regions.  Editing is possible using simple gestures - a sideways swipe allows the user to erase single letters or entire words, depending on the length of the motion.

DexType includes a tool set that gives you all the options you need to navigate the web without having to use a keyboard or a mouse.  You can scroll and click within pages, and most importantly, you can type.  You can follow links, launch a search engine, or navigate directly to literally anywhere on the web.  You can compose emails and documents, or fill in forms.  You can move backward or forward in your browser history; you can open new tabs, close existing ones, or browse through them all.

With DexType, it becomes possible to use a computer without having to touch anything at all.  Pastry chefs can look up recipes while their hands are covered in flour.  Neurosurgeons can add notes to a brainscan without having to touch an unsterilized surface.  And everyone else can lounge on the couch and select a movie to watch while munching on buttered popcorn.

DexType is currently available for download via the Chrome Web Store (see link below).  The software is absolutely free until August 7, at which point the free version will become ad-supported and a premium version will be available for $4.99.

DexType will also be available for cellphones and tablets.  In late August, we intend to have a beta version available for Android users to download and try.  Users who purchase the premium version of DexType will receive automatic access to the Android version, and the beta version will be available to other users as well for a minimal cost.

For additional information, please contact:

Zack Dennis

Pointesa, LLC

E-mail: zack@dextype.com

Phone: 323-877-6918

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I-Limb Ultra: Prosthetic Hand Controlled By iPhone App

Someone once sad �there�s an app for that,� and they weren�t wrong! In today�s society, everyday life is being made easier by apps on smart phones which can do anything from letting us check our bank balance on the move to helping us avoid the traffic on the school run. But the category that has shown the biggest boom in downloads are the medical apps. These range from apps that can help patients to control their long term illnesses, to apps that can allow doctors to visualise their patient�s x-ray radiographs on the move. 

One app that has made a big difference to patient�s lives is the iBGStar Diabetes Manager, and other
apps like it. They are used by diabetic patients to measure their blood sugar levels and keep track of previous reading to ensure they have good control over their condition. This is not only easier for the patient than the old �diary� method of recording their blood sugars, but it can help their doctors to see how treatment is working for their patient and whether it needs to be changed.

The award for the most innovative and life changing app must go to the i-Limb Ultra from Touch Bionics: the app is connected to a bionic prosthetic hand via Bluetooth and users can select different �grips� for any specific tasks they need to do. Sounds like something out of a movie, right? That�s what 16 year old Patrick Kane thought when he was fitted with the bionic hand. He lost his
hand as a baby due to meningococcal septicaemia, but because of this revolutionary new device he is able to live a normal life again, something that we often take for granted. The hand allows Patrick to carry out movements that are so precise they have not been possible with a normal prosthetic in the past: he can now hold a glass, pick up a piece of paper and tie his shoelaces with the touch of a button on his iPhone.

The limb can be controlled by electrical signals in muscles as well as by the iPhone, but this does take some practice to master as Patrick has already learned: "Controlling the hand feels very natural, although it does take a bit longer to learn how to use the automatic grips and gestures, so it was very useful to be able to work with the Touch Bionics therapist on these skills."

This innovation is a huge step for people like Patrick. At the moment the limb is still very expensive, between �30,000 and �80,000, but this technology means that in the not so distant future people that have lost a limb will be able to have the same quality of life as those who haven�t been so unlucky.

You can read the full article here.

This article was written by Niqui Stubbs, a 4^th year medical student with a love of gadgets and technology. She has worked with people who have lost a limb and knows the huge impact a bionic limb like this can have on someone�s life.

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Bebionic3: Prosthetic Arm For Daily Use

In the last year or so, we have seen quite a few prosthetic limbs in the market that are just remarkable in their own way - from helping people pick up things to offering touch and feel. Rapid developments in this area only go to show that people are actually accepting prosthetic limbs as a good substitute for a real limb.

Nigel Ackland, who lost his arm in an accident six years ago, was fitted with the Bebionic3 just last November, and already he can use the arm so seamlessly and flawlessly to perform daily chores - from tying shoelaces to making an omelette.

I think the Bebionic3 is the only prosthetic arm (as far as I know) that comes with its own silicone skin to give it a natural appearance. The hand also comes with its own software that can be monitored and configured wirelessly. Make sure to check out the website (source link) to learn (a lot) more about the gripping mechanisms, components it is made of, and all the technical information.

Nigel Ackland, everyone.


Source: Bebionic.com via Gizmodo

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Bionic Hand That Offers Touch And Feel Real Time

The last few years have seen a tremendous amount of progress when it comes to prosthetics. However, one limitation of these prosthetic limbs (if it is one) is the lack of sensation - clinching an object does not invoke a sense of touch since the limb is not connected to the nervous system.

Recently, scientists at The �cole Polytechnique F�d�rale de Lausanne and Project Time have developed a new bionic hand that has sensors on the fingertips and connects to the nervous system of the amputee by implanting electrodes directly in two important nerves - median and ulnar, and deliver signals directly, thus enabling the person to feel the touch. Essentially, the limb is controlled by thought as well as receives touch signals from the hand sensors.

Feeling the touch/sensory signals is essential because the more sensory signals the amputee gets, the more likely the patient will fully accept and appreciate the limb.

The scientists are constantly improving and refining the interface for this limb and if all goes well, a full working model will be ready for testing in two years.

Source: The Independent, Project Time, Gizmodo, Engadget
Images source: Engadget, The Independent

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Mobi-Chair: Wheelchair For The Beach!

 

 

How often do people in wheelchairs get to go to the beach and play in the water?

Deschamps, a New Jersey based family owned business, has created the Mobi-Chair, a high quality beach chair that provides people bound to wheelchair an easier way to access and navigate across the beach. The arm rests and wheels are made of floating materials that enable the chair to fully float in water.

The Mobi-Chair can be assembled or disassembled in 5 - 10 minutes without the use of any tools, and can easily fit into the back of the trunk of a vehicle. The aluminum frame and other materials are corrosion free and the fabric used for the chair is non allergenic, UV resistant, and ventilated for quick drying.

The Mobi-Chair may not necessarily be inexpensive as it will set you back by $2139. I could not find any information on whether insurance companies would cover costs for the chair or not.

See the video to see Mobi-Chair in action, and check out the website for more information!

Source: Disabled-World via Barrier Break

Website: Mobi-chair.com

RT @disabledworld: Mobichair Floating Beach #Wheelchair - #Disability #Videos - Disabled World shar.es/4yFeL #a11y
� Barrierbreak(@Barrierbreak) January 14, 2013

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Controlling A Prosthetic Arm With Thought

Image source: BBC

What we used to see a few years ago in movies is turning into reality. Controlling objects with just your thought? Who would have ever thought?

Jan Scheurmann, a 53 year old quadriplegic who is paralyzed from the neck down, recently managed to control a prosthetic arm with her mind to grasp and move objects with ease.

Two sensors were implanted in her brain that pick up electrical signals from around 200 individual brain cells, which later translate into commands that are used to move the arm and grab objects. The co-ordination, skill and speed she achieved only after 14 weeks of training (she was picking up objects on the second day!!) was almost similar to that of an able bodied person.

Image source: BBC

The next plan is to attach the prosthetic arm to Jen's wheelchair so that she could use it on a daily basis. There have been attempts to give sensation to the prosthetic arm as well so that Jen could feel the sense of touch.

This development is huge for people with spinal cord injuries, amputees, and quadriplegics. We saw something similar earlier this year, and looking at the progress, we should see a lot more action in this area in the coming years!

Hit the source links to read more about this in detail.

Source: BBC, The Lancet via Gizmodo

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Touch Bionics Releases New Prosthetic Fingers

Image source: Engadget

Touch Bionics, a leading expert in prosthetic limbs, recently announced the global launch of new bionic finger technologies - a very good news for people with missing fingers.

The new additions to the product line include a finger that's shorter and lighter, and a wrist band that incorporates all of the processing and poer systems of the prosthesis.

This new development  enables prostheses to be made smaller, lighter and more anatomically accurate, e.g., for people with smaller hands and whose amputations are closer to the knuckles. 

Needless to say, these prosthetic fingers help people perform daily chores and activities, and pursue their hobbies and interests, thus boosting their self confidence and improving their quality of life.

Watch this video to learn about the benefits of prosthetic fingers.

Check out their website to learn more about the prosthetic fingers. To read the press release, hit the source link.

Website: Touch Bionics

Source: Engadget

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Mind Controlled Robotic Leg

Image source: Technology Review website

A lot of progress has been made in the world of prosthetics, but we have not seen a whole lot when it comes to mind controlled prosthetic limbs. 

That's going to change soon!

Scientists at Long Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center in California recently announced that they have invented a new robotic leg that is controlled by EEG signals (electric impulses generated by our brains) that are fed into a computer. This robotic leg is meant for both able bodied people and people with spinal cord injuries.

One major factor that was given utmost importance during testing was the number of "false starts" this system would (not) generate. Imagine a person with this robotic leg waiting to cross a railway track or a busy road - false starts triggered by the brain's electric impulses would put the robotic leg in motion, making the person to walk (when not required), and ultimately causing a fatal accident. Fortunately, during testing, there were zero false starts observed!

This robotic leg has so far been tested on able bodied subjects, and the next step is to test it on people with spinal cord injuries and incomplete motor skills. Achieving success with the latter group would be a giant leap in this field of research. As of now, the ability to start and stop walking was tested. Future testing would include turning and sitting.

Here's a video that demonstrates this robotic leg on an able bodied person. The subject in this video instructs his legs to start and stop walking for a total of five minutes.

Source: Technology Review via Engadget

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Shower Bay - Portable Shower For Wheelchair Users

Image Source: Shower Bay website

One constant problem that wheelchair users face is the difficulty in maneuvering their wheelchairs in bathrooms to take a shower. This ultimately results in expensive home renovations.

To counter this problem, Russell Simpkins of Forward Day, LLC, and his sister have come up with an extremely innovative product that lets wheelchair users take a shower pretty much anywhere in the house. Shower Bay's design allows for quick assembly in any room of the home, and no tools are required. The unit snaps together, and connects to a standard household faucet. As water enters the unit through a deluxe showerhead, the user can bathe comfortably with or without the assistance of a caregiver. The water is then pumped out of the unit to any nearby household drain. The following image shows Shower Bay assembled in a household bedroom: 

Image source: Shower Bay website

Shower Bay provides a small ramp that allows users to just roll in and out of the shower very easily, thus making the entire process very smooth and safe.

Given the unique safety advantages and the uncompromised showering experience, Shower Bay is the perfect bathing solution for many wheelchair users, including the following:

� Home owners who want to avoid a costly and time-consuming bathroom remodel.

� Renters, who generally cannot modify or remodel their apartment or home.

� Families seeking to avoid the high cost of assisted living facilities and keep their loved ones at home.

� Users whose mobility restricts them to the first floor of a residence (where the home has only a half bath on the first level).

� Families that have a loved one with mobility limitations temporarily stay at their home.

� Individuals who are rehabbing an injury and only need a temporary bathing solution.

� Users planning to change residences, who can move Shower Bay with them to their next home and not worry about remodeling ever again.

Watch the following two videos to see what the Shower Bay experience is like, and how easily it can be installed.

Shower Bay is available for $4200 from its website. There may be financing options available as well.

Website: ShowerBay
Facebook: Shower Bay

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