LebGeeks

mesa177

Member

Undergraduate Engineers Develop Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Arm

Sometimes it's just about simplicity:

A couple of undergraduate biomedical engineers from Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada, have developed a brain-controlled prosthetic arm. While their robotic arm certainly isn't the world's first or the most technologically-advanced prosthetic, it could very well be the safest and least expensive. That's because unlike traditional prosthetic limbs, which contain sophisticated electronic and mechanical components, the Artificial Muscle-Operated (AMO) arm is made primarily of simple pneumatic pumps and valves and a tank of compressed air to create movement. This has allowed the prosthetic to be developed at just one-quarter of the cost of a traditional prosthetic limb.

Moreover, most prosthetic limbs controlled by neural signals require an invasive and expensive re-innervation surgery to re-route major nerves, followed by weeks of training. The AMO arm uses brain signals measured with a head-worn device (EEG, we presume) connected to a computer that controls the arm's pneumatic system.

You may be wondering if this budget robotic arm can match the performance of the more expensive and intricately designed competitors. According to Michal Prywata, one of the inventors, it only takes ten minutes to master the basic functioning of the arm. Also, the pneumatic nature of the AMO allows for a greater range of movement than other prosthetic arms. Finally, AMO arm technology has a number of potential applications, such as wheelchair devices and military robotics, and research efforts are already underway to implement improvements such as independent finger movements and enabling the arm to sense what kind of material it is holding.

kareem_nasser

Member

Re: Undergraduate Engineers Develop Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Arm

I saw once something like it on i think beyond tomorrow on Discovery Channel but they connect the arm to the nerves of a guy, who has his real arm chopped, somewhere near the chest area.

mesa177

Member

Re: Undergraduate Engineers Develop Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Arm

@kareem_nasser: That would be either:

a) iLimb or iLimb Pulse from Touch Bionics:

iLimb:

iLimb Pulse:

2) BeBionic Hand from RSL Steeper:

3) Michal-Angelo from Otto Bock:

Personally, when I was at the RehaTecknic-Orthopedic Exhibition in Leipzig in May 2010, I tested all three. The most interesting, most comfortable to use, and of course bad-ass looking was the iLimb Pulse. Good times...

rolf

Member

Re: Undergraduate Engineers Develop Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Arm

Wow... brain control??

Georges

Member

Re: Undergraduate Engineers Develop Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Arm

From the title, i thought that a couple of Lebanese students did that. It would be awesome if that can happen one day.
The robotic arms you posted Mesa177 are really cool. I just wonder if they can be covered with flesh to look like a real human arm

I also watched the same report Kareem mentioned on Discovery Channel. It was something really advanced. The technologies used are too expensive. And in the same report, they showed an athlete with robotic legs, running and running really fast.

Here's an image of the guy:
After looking up his identity, his name is Oscar Pistorius

Last edited by Georges (April 7 2011)

J4D

Member

Re: Undergraduate Engineers Develop Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Arm

Apparently a bug in its firmware caused the arm to slap the user at irregular intervals

Georges, the prosthetic limb shown in your picture is in no way robotic :) Its cool nevertheless.

I personally would have loved to work in the domain of robotic prosthetic limbs, but we are in lebanon !

Georges

Member

Re: Undergraduate Engineers Develop Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Arm

Apparently a bug in its firmware caused the arm to slap the user at irregular intervals
Georges, the prosthetic limb shown in your picture is in no way robotic :) Its cool nevertheless.
I personally would have loved to work in the domain of robotic prosthetic limbs, but we are in Lebanon !

- Slapping the user at regular intervals. How innocent is that.
- As far as i remember it has plenty of electronic devices in it.
- Leave. Travel. Find a better place to start your career. You have the knowledge and you have the money.

What are you still waiting for ?

MegaCool

Member

Re: Undergraduate Engineers Develop Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Arm

Huh! Makes you wonder if Robocop or Inspector Gadget are real.

mesa177

Member

Re: Undergraduate Engineers Develop Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Arm

@Georges: first, they're orthotic limbs not prosthetic (legs => ortho, arms => prostho) he's wearing (made of carbon fiber), and J4D's right, they not robotic. He might have been wearing the C-leg from Otto Bock or Reho-Knee from [edit] Ossur [/edit]. Second, they already cover them with silicon "skin", some even get tatoos or hairs on them. Otto Bock released a machine that scans the color tone of one's skin to manufacture the cover with the same shade. However, those who pick the iLimbs like to show them off. Also, Lebanese students have already designed robotic arms, it's nothing new, but this is pneumatic based (hence the post).

C-leg:

Reho-knee:

@J4D: Who said we don't have professionals in electronic based limbs?! You want to specilaize in them, continue a Masters degree in biomedical engineering, then complete 3 courses in rehabilitation at AUB. Then you get certified by the Lebanese board for artificial limbs. Then you either work for a company like Orthocare in Jevinor, or you become a representative for companies abroad and you go to physical rehab centers when you're needed. Note that you have to attend amputation procedures to make sure blade-happy surgeons don't cut off too much of the limbs and to reserve the condition of the nerves when they're good. Hell; I'll even give you brochures on how to get certified. My dad is a prosthetic and orthotic biomedical engineer, how do you think I know so much about them? PS: Lebanon leads the Middle East in the field, and despite the fact that a lot of rehab centers are opened, they all flock to Lebanon or ask for Lebanese professionals to swing by. Be proud to be a Lebanese for a change :)

Last edited by mesa177 (April 7 2011)

MegaCool

Member

Re: Undergraduate Engineers Develop Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Arm

mesa - much red bull ? kidding :)   some uber-geekness *mind almost explodes*

Last edited by MegaCool (April 7 2011)

mesa177

Member

Re: Undergraduate Engineers Develop Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Arm

@MegaCool: This is what happens when I come from work, I vent out by posting. To each their own way...

Anyway, here are some pictures about the Skin-like gloves I was describing earlier:

J4D

Member

Re: Undergraduate Engineers Develop Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Arm

WOW ! That last picture is incredible ! Creepy as well !

saeidw

Member

Re: Undergraduate Engineers Develop Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Arm

I just learned a whole bunch of stuff by reading this topic! These things help so many people live better lives, and I'm glad there are people hard at work making them even better. And they look awesome. I think the robotic/plastic limbs are cooler than the ones designed to simulate human skin (except that last one, J4D is right: WOW!). I guess it's that "super-awesome cyborg" impression you get when you see them.

mesa177

Member

Re: Undergraduate Engineers Develop Brain-Controlled Prosthetic Arm

I just learned a whole bunch of stuff by reading this topic! These things help so many people live better lives, and I'm glad there are people hard at work making them even better. And they look awesome. I think the robotic/plastic limbs are cooler than the ones designed to simulate human skin (except that last one, J4D is right: WOW!). I guess it's that "super-awesome cyborg" impression you get when you see them.

I think you misunderstood the concept of the skin: it's used to cover the robotic limb. It's not a simulation, it's just a silicone cover for the prosthesis (think like a cover for the phone). Now how awesome is that? ;)