Providing peer-to-peer support for the military amputee through virtual world technology is one of those natural “of course” things where the use and the tech matches nearly perfectly. While I’ve written about this before, our project in partnership with Virtual Ability Inc. continues to be both a powerful demonstration of how virtual worlds like Second Life can provide support environments (whether for the military amputee, patient groups, or around specific interest areas) and a source of insight beyond the technology.
The Amputee Virtual Environment Support System (AVESS) was the subject of a brief talk I gave earlier this week on Virtual World Keynote (see the video after the jump). Caleb Booker also gave a nice write-up of the talk as well. While it was a cursory overview, for those of us IN the virtual world industry there are a few take-away points I thought I’d expand upon.
The virtual world known as Second Life exists only in cyberspace. The characters, known as avatars, who inhabit the world's computer screens, are each guided by a real-world person. Among the millions of people who enjoy the elaborate game, there are many disabled people who find themselves interacting online in ways they cannot in real life. And there are experts who are working to make the simulated environment more accessible to the disabled. VOA's Shelley Schlender reports.
SPARKy prosthetic puts spring into step
Arizona State University researchers have developed an "active" prosthetic device that literally puts the spring back into amputees step. Read More
Patients at Walter Reed testing next-generation prosthesis
Dec 10, 2009
By Christen N. McCluney
Summary:
Several wounded warriors at Walter Reed Army Medical Center are testing a new microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee.
The X2 microprocessor knee, the result of a medical research project, is being used by some amputees at Walter Reed's Military Advanced Training Center.
Walter Reed Patients Test Next-generation Prosthesis
Dec 10, 2009
By Christen N. McCluney
Summary:
Wounded warriors at the Military Advanced Training Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here are testing a new microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee.
The X2 microprocessor knee by Otto Bock HealthCare is the result of a medical research project funded in support of the Military Amputee Research Program.
Indiana-Ohio Center for Traumatic Amputation Rehabilitation Research
Dr. Mark Sothmann, Dr. Daniel Vreeman, & Dr. Stephen
Wilson, Dr. Joyce MacKinnon
W81XWH0710493
Summary:
Rehabilitation represents the interface of technology and therapeutic interventions to promote increased function and quality of life. The current global war on terrorism has highlighted the dearth of information on the long term outcomes of military personnel experiencing war related traumatic amputations. To address this lack of essential information an Indiana-Ohio Center for Traumatic Rehabilitation Research (Indiana Ohio Center) is being established to promote outcomes research on a population with potentially unique rehabilitation needs for long term health and welfare.The Indiana-Ohio Center will test this hypothesis on Vietnam veterans who have had more than 30 years of experience living with traumatic amputation.
Summary:
The SPARKy Team, using several unique technologies developed at Arizona State University`s Human Machine Integration Lab, will build a new generation of smart, active, energy-storing, and dynamically tunable, transtibial prostheses. In Phase 1, they developed and tested a robotic ankle based on the researcher`s current robotic tendon actuator. The device supplies 100% of the needed power during the gait cycle and will store and release energy to minimize the power and energy requirements. The team has worked closely with clinicians to develop control systems based on EMG feedback, heel switches, and tilt sensors. The goal is to support linear walking on a treadmill with speeds ranging from 1 to 2 m/s. A control scheme was developed to identify when the user wants to start and stop the prosthesis, and it automatically speeds up or slows down the prosthesis as the treadmill speed is increased or decreased. Phase II will develop, test and demonstrate a transtibial prosthesis for over ground unstructured walking. Phase II plans to expand the capabilities of SPARKy II so that the device supports treadmill jogging.
SPARYy Video
Powered Leg Prostheses for the Restoration of Amputee Balance, Locomotory Metabolism and Speed
Dr. Hugh Herr
W81XWH0710343
Summary:
The proposal is to first build a power driven lower extremity prosthesis for transfemoral as well as transtibial amputees. A soleus-like actuator will be used to power ankle movements, and a gastrocnemius, bi-articular mechanism to augment knee flexion during terminal stance. In the soleus-like actuator, a spring will be placed in series with a motor, and the spring stiffness will be set equal to that of the Achilles tendon. A gastrocnemius, bi-articular mechanism will be included in the transfemoral prosthetic leg design, and will comprise a tendon-like spring in series with an electromagnetic clutch. After early stance knee flexion, when the knee undergoes an extension phase, the clutch will engage and elasticstrain energy will be stored in the series spring. That stored energy will then augment rapid knee flexion during terminal stance, lifting the ankle-foot prosthetic mass from the ground surface with an electromagnetic clutch. The second part of the study is to perform biomechanical and energy consumption studies on amputee patients with these prosthesis.
Development
of a C-Leg Version with Optimized Functionality for use in Extreme Situations
Dr. Willem VanVliet
W81XWH0610571
Summary:
This proposal is to develop a hardened microprocessor knee prosthesis with enhanced durability, increased strength, longer battery life, field recharging features, secure electronic function, which is also serviceable and patient adjustable. In addition, this proposal includes an add-on for a clinical trial of the new leg in association with Prosthetics Research Study (Seattle, WA). MODIFICATION: The goal of this overall project is to develop a hardened microprocessor knee prosthesis with enhanced durability, increased strength, longer battery life, field recharging features, secure electronic function, which is field serviceable and patient adjustable.
DynamicArm® - The world's first electronically controlled elbow joint
C-Leg® - The first microprocessor-controlled knee joint worldwide
Christian Kandlbauer - the first European with the neurally controlled (thought-powered) prosthesis
Rehabilitation of the Combat Amputee - Consensus Conference and Creating a Roadmap for the Future
Dr. Rory Cooper
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Summary:
Dr. Rory Cooper, director of the VA/University of Pittsburgh Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) and LTC Paul Pasquina, MD, Medical Director of the Amputee Program at WRAMC, organized “Rehabilitation of the Combat Amputee-Consensus Conference and Creating a Roadmap for the Future,” a three day symposium conducted at the Center for the Intrepid from September 17-19, 2007. The purpose of the symposium was to bring together both civilian and military experts in amputee care and rehabilitation to help establish consensus on standard of care issues, as well as to help identify areas most needed for further clinical, technical, translational and developmental research. The symposium work was written into a textbook, Rehabilitation of the Combat Amputee, to be published by the Borden Institute as part of their Textbooks on Military Medicine series (TMM). Almost 100% of the invited guests attended the conference and participated in the breakout sessions. Attendees who applied for continuing education earned credits for attending the symposium lectures. The symposium Breakout group deliverables were completed, and all textbook chapters were written. Final drafts, figures, author forms, and permissions have been turned into the Borden institute for final publication, for 26 of the 29 chapters.
Neuroprosthetics:
Development of Tissue Integration, Control and Sensory Feedback Solutions for Neural-Enabled Prosthetic Devices
Dr. W. Grant McGimpsey
W81XWH0810422
Summary:
Research and development of advanced neuroprosthetic systems to enable neural control of the motion and function of prosthetic limbs and organs. The technologies developed will allow the more rapid recovery, rehabilitation and, if desired, return to active duty of military personnel who have lost limbs or organs due to battlefield injuries. These technologies will also facilitate recovery and rehabilitation of soldiers who have suffered impairment of the peripheral nervous system due to head or spinal cord injuries.
