MUNDUS project: MUltimodal Neuroprosthesis for daily Upper limb Support

Abstract

BackgroundMUNDUS is an assistive framework for recovering direct interaction capability of severely motor impaired people based on arm reaching and hand functions. It aims at achieving personalization, modularity and maximization of the user’s direct involvement in assistive systems. To this, MUNDUS exploits any residual control of the end-user and can be adapted to the level of severity or to the progression of the disease allowing the user to voluntarily interact with the environment. MUNDUS target pathologies are high-level spinal cord injury (SCI) and neurodegenerative and genetic neuromuscular diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Friedreich ataxia, and multiple sclerosis (MS). The system can be alternatively driven by residual voluntary muscular activation, head/eye motion, and brain signals. MUNDUS modularly combines an antigravity lightweight and non-cumbersome exoskeleton, closed-loop controlled Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for arm and hand motion, and potentially a motorized hand orthosis, for grasping interactive objects.MethodsThe definition of the requirements and of the interaction tasks were designed by a focus group with experts and a questionnaire with 36 potential end-users.Five end-users (3 SCI and 2 MS) tested the system in the configuration suitable to their specific level of impairment. They performed two exemplary tasks: reaching different points in the working volume and drinking. Three experts evaluated over a 3-level score (from 0, unsuccessful, to 2, completely functional) the execution of each assisted sub-action.ResultsThe functionality of all modules has been successfully demonstrated. User’s intention was detected with a 100% success. Averaging all subjects and tasks, the minimum evaluation score obtained was 1.13 ± 0.99 for the release of the handle during the drinking task, whilst all the other sub-actions achieved a mean value above 1.6. All users, but one, subjectively perceived the usefulness of the assistance and could easily control the system. Donning time ranged from 6 to 65 minutes, scaled on the configuration complexity.ConclusionsThe MUNDUS platform provides functional assistance to daily life activities; the modules integration depends on the user’s need, the functionality of the system have been demonstrated for all the possible configurations, and preliminary assessment of usability and acceptance is promising.

Mechanisms of urodele limb regeneration

“…The goal of human limb regeneration will rely on a convergence of ideas and research skills from many different scientific disciplines. In this, regeneration biologists will be racing bioengineers who are designing and building ever more sophisticated prosthetic limbs capable of neural interfaces (Carmena et al, 2013; Collinger et al., 2013; Lebedev & Nicolelis, 2006; Pedrocchi et al., 2013). Perhaps there will be a convergence of these two approaches to design a hybrid cyborg replacement appendage.…”

Functional and usability assessment of a robotic exoskeleton arm to support activities of daily life

“…However, the exoskeleton proposed here is part of a more complex system including several other modules, such as neuromuscular electrical stimulation to provide arm and hand motions, a motorized hand orthosis for grasping cylindrical objects, an eye tracking system or a P300 brain computer interface to capture the user's intention, that can be added to the exoskeleton so as to make the whole system useful also for more severe end-users. 18 This preliminary evaluation boosts a further development of the here-proposed system towards a real use in a home environment (e.g. automatic setting of weight compensation, adjustment of weight compensation during arm movements, development of a left-arm system).…”

Resonant ultrasonic wireless power transmission for bio-implants

“…Project MINDWALKER [17,18] tries to improve a mind controlled orthosis and virtual reality training environments for walk empowerment to enable people with lower limbs impairments to perform their daily activities in the most autonomous and natural manner. Project MUNDUS [19] proposes to integrate multimodal information collected by electromyography, impedance head/eye tracking and eventually brain computer interface commands for enabling severely motor impaired people to recover direct interaction capability based on arm reaching and hand function. At [20] Brown university researchers presented a wireless implantable microelectronic device for transmitting cortical signals transcutaneously.…”