Sensory Motor Integration

Myoelectric prostheses have recently undergone extensive developments in their complexity and movement patterns, yet controlling these devices remains a challenge, and commercial devices lack sensory feedback. We are working on several areas to improve control and feedback from prosthetic devices.

Funding

 Physiologically Relevant Prosthetic Limb Movement Feedback for Upper and Lower Extremity Amputees

  • Investigators: PM Marasco, JS Hebert
  • Funding: Department of Defense (DoD) office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14) Clinical and Rehabilitative Medicine Research Program (CRMRP) Neuromusculoskeletal Injuries Research Award. (2015 – 2018: University of Alberta subcontracted through Cleveland Clinic).

Restoring Upper Limb Movement Sense to Amputees; A Move Towards Natural Control of Prosthetic Limbs

  • Investigators: PM Marasco, JS Hebert, KM Chan
  • Funding: This project is in collaboration with Dr. Paul Marasco, PI on a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant R01NS081710-02 (2013 – 2017). The focus of the project is to investigate the return of proprioception or “kinesthesia” in targeted reinnervation upper limb amputees

A Practical Sensory Feedback System for Upper Limb Amputees

  • Investigators: JS Hebert, MR Dawson, JP Carey, KR Evans
  • Funding: Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation Clinical Research Award (2013-2014)

Publications

Targeted Reinnervation for Upper Limb Amputation

Dr. Hebert instituted the first team in Canada performing the Targeted Reinnervation procedure for upper limb amputation, which has been performed in Edmonton since 2008 with a coordinated interdisciplinary team. We have an ongoing active clinical and research program for targeted reinnervation, supported by the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. With surgical reinnervation, patients have more signals … Continue reading Targeted Reinnervation for Upper Limb Amputation

Tactile Feedback

  There are no commercially available myoelectric prosthetic systems that provide sensory feedback. This means that the user does not know if they are contacting an object or how hard they are squeezing, which can make accurate control of the device challenging. A tactile feedback system is being developed that will provide touch information directly … Continue reading Tactile Feedback

Simulated Sensorimotor Prosthesis

  We have developed a simulated sensorimotor prosthesis for testing using able bodied subjects. The simulated prosthesis provides the experience of using a myoelectric device to someone with an intact arm, as well as provides sensory feedback for touch and grasp. This allows us to test various devices, control, and sensory feedback back strategies in … Continue reading Simulated Sensorimotor Prosthesis