Supernumerary Robotic Fingers
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Supernumerary Robotic Fingers as Alternatives to Traditional Assistive Technologies
IRAS ID
276837
Contact name
Tamar Makin
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106/2020/01/127 , UCL Data Protection Registration
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Hand function is incredibly important for daily life functioning. As such, even temporary loss of hand function is expected to have profound implications on people’s quality of life and functionality. A key challenge in restoring hand function is that it is exceedingly complex. Therefore, when hand function is lost temporarily, there are no feasible solutions to support transient disability.
We take a new approach for improving functioning following unimanual injury. Rather than improving the functionality of the affected hand, we propose to improve the functionality of the non-damaged hand, via robotic motor augmentation. Relying on different control mechanisms (e.g. pressure sensors in the shoes) robotic supernumerary fingers allow the user to single-handedly perform complex tasks, normally requiring bimanual coordination.
Wearable robotic fingers provide a novel and attractive solution for people with a unimanual disability. However, these augmentation devices introduce new theoretical and practical challenges for the users: (i) what resources could one’s brain employ to control a body part that has never been there before? (ii) what are the risks and benefits of modulating one’s body representation in order to support supernumerary robotic fingers usage?
We will test the Third Thumb (developed by Dani Clode Design) as a temporary augmentation to people sustaining hand immobilisation due to orthopaedic injuries. To enhance the feasibility of this implementation, focus will first be given to gaining a better understanding of the user experience. In Study 1, we will document the daily needs of users through specifically designed surveys. This will inform the development of at-home simple training paradigms. In Study 2, we will examine, through behavioural testing, how motor adaptations performed with the Third Thumb on the healthy hand impacts that hand’s motor control. Moreover, we will address through fMRI potential brain adaptations, relating to adapted hand motor function due to robotic augmentation.REC name
London - Stanmore Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/LO/0635
Date of REC Opinion
11 Jun 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion