Objective
Prostheses are artificial replacements of body parts that have been removed, e.g. by amputation following a traumatic event or a disease. Currently, three types of prosthetic hands are commercially available;
- cosmetic: passive devices with a simple aesthetic purpose,
- body-powered: powered and controlled by body movements, generally by shoulder or back muscles, and
- myoelectric: electrically powered and controlled by electromyographic signals, which are the weak electrical signals produced by contracting muscles.
These devices are still too simple to mimic the functionality of the natural lost limb because they have only one or two degrees of freedom (d.o.f.s) which allow a very limited variety of movements. In addition, their control is just in o n/off or in simple proportional mode, which is quite far from the natural way of controlling movements.
On the contrary, robotics hands are highly sophisticated devices with several d.o.f.s; however, they are unsuitable as prosthesis due to their rather bul ky size and control complexity. The aim of this multidisciplinary project is to construct an innovative type of myoelectric prosthetic hand bearing a superior functionality and a simple controllability, providing upper-limb amputees with a device that will be the closest ever reached to the real human hand.
To this end, a highly innovative biomimetic interdisciplinary approach will be used:
- a novel model of the human neuromuscular system will be constructed using system identification tools to obtain a m ore natural movement and control of the fingers;
- a powerful statistical technique (ICA) will be employed to increase the number of controlling signals obtained from the muscles of the subject's stump and thus the number of d.o.f.s highly increasing the variety of movements and functionality of prosthetic hands.
The same approach has the potential to be employed successfully also to increase the functionality of other assistive devices (exoskeletons).
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering signal processing
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering robotics
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology implants
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP6-2004-MOBILITY-5
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
PISA
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.