Smart Module Gives Prosthetics Consistent Touch

May-01-18 A smart electric module could give prosthetics users a better and more consistent sense of touch.

Typical touch-enabled prosthetics rely on sensors in the fingertips that communicate with electrodes at the point of attachment, which generate a mild electric current in response to pressure to stimulate the user’s nerves. However, those electrodes can peel off or be affected by sweat, which alters the accuracy of the feedback.

To help ensure more consistent feedback, the team from the University of Illinois developed a module for the prosthesis equipped with a specialized control algorithm. The algorithm will ensure the feedback current delivered to the skin remains consistent, regardless of issues such as sweat or electrode peeling. In tests, the module offered more accurate feedback even when electrodes had peeled off by 75 percent, and in episodes where perspiration caused a total loss of feedback in non-module fitted modes.

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[MEDGADGET.COM]
[NEWS.ILLINOIS.EDU]

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