Month: February 2018

Current Events

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CURRENT EVENTS

For my research on current events, I’ve focused on two articles that reveal new technology that will influence products created for people with physical disabilities. First, Microsoft has patented technology that allows a user to navigate applications with only their mind. The device works by interpreting signals from the brain and can be customized to interpret signals in different ways, thus responding with different operations within an app. This is similar to mapping a controller with custom controls in a video game. Future implications include use for prosthetic limbs, virtual reality, and video games.

The other article I read was about a product that is being prototyped by the GEAR (Game Enhancing Augmented Reality) team. It is a wearable video game controller that goes on a person’s feet, just like a sandal or pair of shoes. Currently, the system allows for 8 different “buttons” all of which are customizable and allows users to play convevideonal vieo games with no disadvantage. The team is excited to help bring back a normal part of many peoples lives to people who have suffered a debilitating injury. They love that in video games, everyone has an equal playing field. This innovation is exciting and will help people with loss of limbs enjoy video games in the future.

Citation:

https://tech.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/corporate/microsoft-patents-mind-control-brain-interface/62549460

https://www.popsci.com/new-wearable-will-help-amputees-play-video-games-with-their-feet

Standards & Best Practices

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Standards and Best Practices:

 

Mostly for-

 

  • Surgery- procedural guidelines for proper limb removal
  • Post-surgery care- caring for amputated area
  • Fitting of prosthetics- Guidelines for limb fitting
    •           *No one gold standard for how to function with only one arm.

 

  • Training- Suggestions on how to do everyday activities using a prosthetic arm or an arm rendered useless from injury or stroke.

 

 

Examples of Suggestions:

  • Shoelaces- Velcro Fastenings, Elastic Laces, Slip on shoes
  • Method for tying using ring, index, and middle finger and thumb; from video reference.

 

 – One Handed Method-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLqdQ-f1RO0

 

  • Teeth- Toothpaste Dispensers, Flip lid toothpaste, Place toothbrush or hold in mouth while putting on toothpaste, Squeeze toothpaste in mouth before-hand, hold between knees for twist off cap removal.

 -Toothpaste Dispenser-

http://www.asseenontvpros.com/assets/images/toothpaste%20dispense.jpg

 

Professional Care:

 

  • Occupational Therapy– Assess and adapt environment of home, help cultivate integration, assess return to work, try to stimulate successful long-term return to work.
  • Physiotherapy– Strength, flexibility, stability, core stability in order to adequately support a prosthetic limb; help reduce pain of using a prosthetic
  • Research in this field– leads to new, and refined techniques for rehabilitation and adaptation to life after amputation; Prosthetic development

 

                        

Home Modifications:

  • Suggestions– Lever Taps, mounted bath sponge, mounted shower soaps, dishwasher installment, suction cup dish sponge
  • Equipment– Various equipment to help: compressive garments, RRD’s or Rigid Removable Dressings, Cutlery adaptations, plate guards, no slip matting for plates, Button hook for doing buttons with one hand, sock-aid, many more…

 

 

– Sock-Aid-

http://www.sock-aid.com/img/home/first.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

Information References:

https://www.neurorehabdirectory.com/great-one-handed-strategies-functional-tasks/

http://lifetimesupport.sa.gov.au/new-guidelines-for-amputees/

Statistics and Demographics

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The Major Causes of Limb Amputations:

  • Severe injury (from a vehicle accident or serious burn, for example)
  • Cancerous tumor in the bone or muscle of the limb
  • Serious infection that does not get better with antibiotics or other treatment
  • Thickening of nerve tissue, called a neuroma
  • Frostbite  

How many people get limb amputations?

  • There are over 50,000 amputations every year
  • Of 350,000 with amputations 30% have upper limb loss
  • Congenital Limb accounts for 8.9% of amputations
  • Trauma accounts for 77% of amputations
  • Tumors account for 8.2% of amputations

https://disabilitycompendium.org/sites/default/files/user-uploads/2016_AnnualReport.pdf

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/definition-amputation#1

https://www.ishn.com/articles/97844-statistics-on-hand-and-arm-loss