Externally-Powered Partial Hand Prosthesis

Richard F. ff. Weir, PhD, Principal Investigator

Co-Investigators:
Craig Heckathorne, NU Prosthetics Research Laboratory  
Martin Mifsud, Variety Ability Systems Inc. (VASI), Toronto, Canada 
Ihsan Al Teman and David Wells, PhD, Bloorview MacMillan Rebilitation Engineering Centre,
      Toronto, Canada 

Funded by: Veterans Administration Merit Review Proposal A3028R

Purpose

The two hand projects are funded by Veterans Administration Merit Review Proposals. The first of these projects is Merit Review Proposal A3028R: "Technology Transfer of an Externally-Powered Trans-Metacarpal Hand Prosthesis", a three year project started in July 2003. During previous funding we developed a single degree-of-freedom externally-powered hand mechanism for persons with amputations at or more proximal to the level of the metacarpophalangeal joint in the hand (partial hand amputation). The challenge was to be able to place the electric motor, transmission, power source, and control electronics in the highly confined volume that remains after accommodating the residual limb.

We have developed a prototype mechanism small enough to fit in the space available yet capable of generating sufficient pinch force and speed to be useful. We are working with a company, Variety Ability Systems, Inc., and the Bloorview-MacMillan Rehabilitation Engineering Centre in Toronto, Canada to manufacture ten pre-commercial prototypes to allow us to conduct clinical fittings of this device. Having Variety Ability manufacture these prototypes will facilitate the transfer of this mechanism into clinical practice.