Upper limb prosthetic systems

During the last decade, several multi-articulating hands have become available to prosthesis users. Even though these modern hands have an impressive design and a long list of grip patterns to select from, the control methods are not yet able to offer an intuitive interface to the user.

At the Department of Engineering Cybernetics at NTNU, PhD student Anders Fougner and Associate Professor Øyvind Stavdahl have focused their research on control systems for multifunction devices. The long-term aim is to offer an intuitive and robust control system to the end users of upper limb prostheses. The development so far includes methods for artifact cancellation (to increase the reliability) and simultaneous (coordinated) proportional myoelectric control of multiple joints, as well as contributions to the terminology for prosthesis control systems and clinical assessment of prosthesis control strategies.