| NSF Org: |
TI Translational Impacts |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | February 8, 2019 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | February 8, 2019 |
| Award Number: | 1843966 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Benaiah Schrag
bschrag@nsf.gov (703)292-8323 TI Translational Impacts TIP Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships |
| Start Date: | February 1, 2019 |
| End Date: | July 31, 2020 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $225,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $225,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
9999 BUSINESSPARK AVE SAN DIEGO CA US 92131-1174 (773)888-3252 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
60 Hazelwood Dr Champaign IL US 61820-7460 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | SBIR Phase I |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.084 |
ABSTRACT
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will primarily benefit people with hand amputations. Touch feedback is a critical component of human manipulation, and its loss is most poignant in people with hand amputations. There are currently no prosthetic devices available to amputees that provide control through touch sensory feedback. Without touch feedback, prosthetic users tend to avoid manipulating many objects they otherwise could because they run the risk of destroying them. Consequently, there is a market need for a richly expressive sensory feedback system for upper limb prosthetics. The proposed research will yield a device capable of such feedback with electrotactile stimulation. These outcomes have the potential to restore a significant amount of function to over 10 million people with hand amputations worldwide and improve their quality of life.
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project involves development of a portable, energy-efficient electrotactile stimulator that can be easily placed into the sockets of hand prosthetics to give users useful sensory feedback. The stimulator will integrate with existing prosthetic control systems. It will be built using standard off-the-shelf components, have a form factor small enough to easily fit into a variety of different prosthetic sockets, and operate for at least 12 hours while operating alongside a prosthetic hand and its control system. To improve sensation quality, a sensation controller that enables consistent long-term stimulation will be deployed, reducing the likelihood of device rejection due to discomfort. The expected outcomes of this research are 1) a portable, cost effective and energy efficient electrotactile stimulator that can be easily placed into the socket of a prosthetic user and integrated with their prosthetic hand; and 2) a user study which evaluates the effectiveness of this device deployed with a sensation controller for daily manipulation tasks. The capabilities of the Phase I prototype will be extended in Phase II for delivery of a market-ready sensory feedback system that is compliant with regulatory standards for medical equipment.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
In this project we developed a portable, energy-efficient electrotactile stimulator that can be easily placed into the sockets of prosthetics users to give them useful sensory feedback. The design of this stimulator is unique and is not available in any existing commercial prosthetic devices. The stimulator integrates with existing prosthetic control systems. The stimulator has a form factor small enough to fit into a prosthetic socket, can operate for at least 12 hours alongside a prosthetic hand, has lasted through a week of normal hand usage during a home trial with a patient with an amputation, and it improved the ability of the patient to manipulate delicate objects (e.g. hollow eggshells and plastic cups). The capabilities of the device will be extended for delivery of a market-ready sensory feedback system that is compliant with regulatory standards for medical equipment.
Haptic feedback is a critical component of human manipulation, and its loss is most poignant in upper limb amputees. Without it, even the most advanced prosthetic hand is reduced to a cumbersome, unwieldy tool. There are currently no prosthetic devices available to amputees that provide closed loop control through sensory feedback; the only feedback mechanisms available are visual and in some situations auditory. Without haptic feedback, prosthetic users tend to avoid manipulating many objects they otherwise could because they run the risk of destroying them. Consequently, there is a market need for a richly expressive sensory feedback system for upper limb prosthetics. This project yielded a device capable of such feedback with electrotactile stimulation, through innovative new hardware. The device has the potential to restore a significant amount of function to over 10 million upper limb amputees worldwide and improve their quality of life.
Last Modified: 08/17/2020
Modified by: Aadeel Akhtar
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