Arm prostheses

The power for active hand and arm prostheses can come form the body (Body-powered Prosthesis), or from external sources (Externally-powered prosthesis) [90-97]. Gross body movement controls a body-powered prosthesis. The movement of the shoulder, upper arm, or chest is captured by a harness system, which is attached to a cable that is connected to a terminal device (hook or hand). For some levels of amputation or deficiency, an elbow system can be added to provide the amputee additional function. An amputee must possess at least one or more of the foUowing gross body movements glenohumeral flexion, scapular abduction or adduction, shoulder depression and elevation, and chest expansion in order to control body-powered prosthesis. In addition, sufficient residual limb length and sufficient musculature must exist. 

Externally Controlled Transfemoral Prostheses Powered Hand and Arm Prostheses... 

The power for active hand and arm prostheses can come from the body (body-powered prosthesis) or from external sources (externally powered prosthesis) [90-97]. Gross body movement controls a body-powered prosthesis. The movement of the shoulder, upper arm, or chest is captured by a harness system. 

Keller, A. D., Taylor, C. L., and Zahn, V. (1947). Studies to Determine the Functional Requirements for Hand and Arm Prostheses, Department of Engineering, University of California at Los Angeles. 

Soede, M. (1982). Mental control load and acceptance of arm prostheses. Automedica, no. 4, pp. 183-191. Stojiljkovic, Z. V., and Saletic, D. Z. (1975). Tactile pattern recognition by belgrade hand prosthesis. In Advances in External Control of Human Extremities, Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on Exterruil... 

Myocadial stress and strain, 54-2 Myoelectric control, in powered hand and arm prostheses, 70-12... 

The collection of stories that involve tissue engineering concepts shows the promise and spectacular possibilities that the future could bring. However, rarely do these stories fully conceptualize or even mention the challenges involved in performing these acts in reality. Until the advancement of tissue engineering in the 1970s, replacements for bodily tissues were prostheses made of wood, ceramics, and plastics. Replaced body parts included arms, legs, eyes, ears, teeth, and noses. 

In 2003 it was announced that electrodes implanted in a monkey s brain were able to be used to control a disconnected robotic arm without any nervous connection between the brain and the arm. The monkey only needed to think about moving the arm. There will probably come a time when humans using robotic prostheses and robots using human prosthetic devices will be hard to distinguish from each other. What role does technology play in protecting the essence of humanity How can it do this ... 

Here we present technical aspects of the available externally powered orthoses and prostheses that interface directly or indirectly with the human neuro-musculo-skeletal system. We elaborate here two methods for the restoration of movements in humans with paralysis functional activation of paralyzed muscles termed functional electrical stimulation (FES) or functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS or NMS), and parallel application of FES and a mechanical orthosis called hybrid assistive system (HAS). We also describe externally controlled and powered leg and arm/hand prostheses. 

As for arm prosthetics, the future of what can be achieved depends to a large extent on the interactions of physicians, surgeons, sosthetists, and engineers. If meaningful multifunctional control of prostheses is to be achieved then physicians and surgeons need to perform innovative procedures that can be coupled with the novel components and controllers that engineers and prosthetists create. 

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