Week 3 was off the a fantastic start. I took President’s day off, and spent the rest of my week reading papers and working to get MATLAB to communicate with the Myo Armband.
I had a lot to get through I had a wrapper program to use MATLAB with the Myo Armband. Basically, after getting the software to get my computer to recognize the Myo Armband, I was able to do the stuff I mentioned last week. I was able to use it as a mouse for my computer, and got rid of stress with Fruit Ninja, but for my project, I was going nowhere. In order to get the data from my simulations, I needed to get the MuJoCo Haptix software to communicate with MATLAB and the Armband.
This process was kind of extensive, and involved a couple complicated steps. Essentially I had to get it to the point where, using MATLAB, I could program the simulation in the Haptix software with various objects. Then, using the Myo Armband and some sensors, I would be lifting the objects in the simulation, and I could get my program to record the raw EMG data. Then I will be analyzing the EMG data that I obtain. Four days and a couple hours later, I think it works...
As another goal of this project, I wanted to analyze the social and psychological implications as a result of prosthetics throughout history. Psychologically, losing a limb takes a huge toll, but the entire process of having and using a prosthetic is a journey in and of itself. In Dr. John C. Racy’s “Psychological Adaptation to Amputation” paper, he identifies that age, personality, lifestyle, and an emotional support are the most important factors in the way a person adjusts to their life with an amputation and a prosthetic. Personally, what I think is the most important is an emotional support system. You need someone who can be flexible and help you out with any problems, and you need someone to support you as you adapt to using the prosthetic. For some this transition can be really hard, because you feel like you have lost something, and you need to grow to accept the situation that you are in. Overall, this paper provided me with a new insightful outlook on people with prosthetics, and what they have gone through. I have linked it below, so feel free to read it if you are interested and get the opportunity.
Something that continuously comes up when reading papers of the history and development of prosthetics is cosmetic appearance. Many prosthetics managed to balance appearance with functionality, but today, most prosthetics are designed to look exactly like the original, even having the same skin tone as the recipient. When designing the Soft Hand Pro device, the device that I am looking at, designers have crafted a "sleeve" type covering that is the color of skin. As a question, I want to know what your reactions would be to different appearances of the same prosthetic device, kind of as a small scale survey to identify any possible stigmas regarding prosthetics’ appearance.
Thank you all for making me the blog of the week! If you have any questions, feel free to ask them below. I will be taking the next week off for my spring break, but I will continue working on the program and reading through papers. Don't Forget to Answer the survey down below!
Google Forms: Prosthetics
Psychological Adaptation to Amputation
Hey Sri! Amazing post as always :D I loved how you analyzed multiple aspects of prosthetics, from its impact on people's lives to its technical features. Quick question: do you think that we are losing efforts to advance the technology behind prosthetics in an attempt to make them look more natural? Do you think that we are working on the superficial details of prosthetics at the cost of the advancement of the field in general? I think your post this week posed an excellent question regarding that. Thank you, and have a great spring break!
ReplyDeleteHi Saleena! Thank you! I think that the design is almost as important as the functionality, and I think there are efforts to achieve both looks and technology behind it. At the moment, I think currently, most efforts are focused on functionality, and I kind of like that appearance is also in consideration. Thank you!
DeleteSri,
ReplyDeleteYour work is complicated, but interesting. Do you think that people better adapt to a prosthetic that looked like the lost limb, and if so, do you believe that this has influenced the design of the prosthetic?
Hi Anthony! Yeah, I do think that people adapt better when the prosthetic looks like the organic counterpart and it is an important aspect because it helps the owner familiarize with their new limb. Thank you!
DeleteSri,
ReplyDeleteYour research continues to be very interesting and complex. I am curious about the affects of prosthetics that appear more like the original limb. Does this affect the prosthetic's effectiveness. Good work and I cant wait to read more.
Hi Bianca! To some effect, some Prosthetics that look like their real counterparts can't fit in motors and circuitry, but when focusing on looks, most prosthetics can still be good on functionality. I hope that helps. Thank you!
DeleteThe research you are doing Sri is quite fascinating and I can't wait to read more about your discoveries. By the way, will you be going to be researching about how more effective the prosthetic limb is to the original organic limb? Good luck.
ReplyDeleteHi Kayan! Thank you! I will be looking at effectiveness in terms of the grasping motion. I also want to sort of do a side by side comparison of my hand and the prosthetic device to see the prosthetic's movements. Thanks!
DeleteHi Sri! This is awesome. I love how you talked about not just the technological aspects of your project, but psychological ones as well. Do you think having a realistic looking prosthetic makes it easier to cope with? Or is it just getting over the mental block that you now have a prosthetic? Can't wait to read more!
ReplyDeleteHi Julia! Yeah, I think for amputees, when the prosthetic looks realistic, it does help them cope with it. It kind of helps come to terms with the amputation and limb loss. Also it helps them get through the sort of social aspect, where they think they will be judged because of their prosthetic. Thank you!
DeleteHi Sri. It's good to hear that you were able to get the Myo armband and MATLAB to work together, and its interesting to hear that we are able to make the prosthetic look like a real arm. Do you think we will be able to get it up to the point of cybernetics in star wars like Luke Skywalker's robotic hand? Also, I like that you are expanding beyond the scope of your projects goals and looking more in the psychological impacts prothetics have on people, especially on members of the armed forces. Good luck on week 4!
ReplyDeleteHi Jason! Yeah, I think that in the next 10 years, we could reach that point! With prosthetics, most are technically cybernetic since they can communicate with your brain using EMG's, but in terms of registering all of the motions that our normal hands can, we have a long way to go. There is research with DARPA actually, that is focusing on cybernetic implants, like an arm, that is stronger than our actual arms. Some point in time, there actually could be prosthetics that are better than real hands. Part of the reason I am interested in biotech is because it appeals to the sci-fi enthusiast in me. Thank you!
DeleteHi Sri! I definitely like the idea of the sleeve better than a purely metallic prosthetic arm. I feel like the matching skin color would allow people to recuperate better after amputation/feel more as one with the arm. What are you most looking forward to working on in the next week? This blog is awesome. Looking forward to next week!
ReplyDeleteHi Sydney! Thank you! I was just reading through some other papers, mostly on social reactions, I read one about workers in the 1980's and how they had to adapt to using their prosthetic. Thank you!
DeleteSri,
ReplyDeleteIt's good to hear that you are having trial and errors yet still getting through! Have you been more interested in this field since you started your project? Is this something you want to do when you get to college and as a profession? Can't wait to see your next post!
Audrey
Hi Audrey! Yeah, reading into social reactions and looking at how far the field at prosthetics has come definitely is more intriguing to me now. I am actually considering doing a biotechnology major in college, for now my end goal is to become a surgeon, but I am considering a biotech researcher as well. Thank you!
DeleteHey Sri! It sounds like your project is going great! I'm glad you were able to get that Myo Armband working, because what you were describing sounded so complicated to me. I was just wondering is you could further explain what the MuJoCo Haptix? Also, what materials are used to make the "skin" for the prosthetic? I can't wait to read your next post!!
ReplyDeleteHi Korina! Yeah, so the MuJoCo Haptix software is the simulation software for the objects. It allows me to create objects and then design a simulation where I can use a sensor to manipulate them. It is the main way I am going to get data for the project. I hope that helps. The skin layer is often made of silicone as a covering for mechanical prosthetics, or the prosthetic is made out of a skin-colored plastic. It is fairly short, just like a layer of heat resistant paint, or colored plastic. Some though, like experimental prosthetics, actually have stem cell generated skin tissue on them, which is really cool, but they don't mass produce those yet. Thank you!
DeleteDear Sri,
ReplyDeleteI am IN LOVE with this project. You teach me something new every time I come back. I never thought about the emotional strain that people feel in those situations. I also find it very interesting that the prosthetics are covered by a similarly toned skin color. My question is what do the people use in order to make the skin substance? Is it a drawn out process or is it fairly short? thank you for taking the time to read this.
-Joe Zyadeh
Hi Joe! Thank you! The skin layer is often made of silicone as a covering for mechanical prosthetics, or the prosthetic is made out of a skin-colored plastic. It is fairly short, just like a layer of heat resistant paint, or colored plastic. Some though, like experimental prosthetics, actually have stem cell generated skin tissue on them, but that isn't commercially available yet. Thank you!
DeleteHi Sri!
ReplyDeleteWhat an exciting week! It's so great that you were able to start connecting the data received from the Myo Armband with MATLAB. Also, I think it was great how you pointed out the psychological consequences of getting a prosthetic and how people are already creating prosthetics to cope with those consequences. I can't wait until next week's post!
I admire that you're looking at both psychological and mechanic impacts and effects of prosthetics. What's the most interesting or unusual stigma surrounding prosthetics that you've come across so far?
ReplyDeleteHi Fajr! Thank you! One of the most interesting stigmas is actually that amputees can't get around on their own. I recently read a survey about how amputees feel feeble and incapable whenever they are in a social situation and attention is drawn to their prosthetic use. It mentioned how that is part of the reason why prosthetics often use silicone to seem real, or they are designed to look like the real counterpart. Thank you!
Delete