Development of a compact and lightweight electric prosthetic device for children with congenital upper limb deficiency

• Project/Area Number: 19K12883
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 90150:Medical assistive technology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Yoshikawa Masahiro 大阪工業大学, ロボティクス&デザイン工学部, 准教授 (40584511)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2021)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000); Fiscal Year 2021: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
• Keywords: 義手 / 先天性形成不全

Outline of Research at the Start

国内の先天性形成不全児の年間出生件数は約400件と推計されている．前腕欠損に対する支援機器としては，前腕義手がすでにあるものの，重さや成長に伴うサイズ変更に課題がある．さらに重度の上腕欠損や肩欠損に対しては，有効な支援機器がほとんど存在しない．そこで本研究では，先天性上肢形成不全児のための小型軽量の電動義手を実現する．電動ハンド，電動肘，電動肩，ソケット（欠損部位を挿入）をモジュール化し，距離センサを用いた操作システムと組み合わせて用いることで，前腕欠損，上腕欠損，肩欠損のすべてに対応可能な電動義手を開発する．

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Children with congenital upper limb deficiency have a variety of defects, and there are few electric prosthetic devices that can be provided for each defect. In this study, we developed a compact and lightweight electric prosthetic device for children with congenital upper limb deficiency. By modularizing the electric hand, elbow, shoulder, and socket, and combining them with an operation system using distance sensors, we have realized the electric prosthetic device that can be used for all types of forearm, upper arm, and shoulder defects.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では，電動ハンド，電動肘，電動肩，ソケットをモジュール化し，距離センサを用いた操作システムと組み合わせることで，前腕欠損，上腕欠損，肩欠損のすべてに対応可能な電動義手を実現した．電動義手はユーザが使用できるレベルに達しており，これまで適当な電動義手の存在しなかった先天性上肢形成不全児（特に上腕欠損と肩欠損）に対して，新たな義手の選択肢を提供できる．

Research Products

• [Journal Article] 義手開発における3Dプリンタの可能性 (2019)
  • Author(s): 吉川 雅博
  • Journal Title: 総合リハビリテーション Volume: 47 Pages: 947-953
• [Presentation] 用途に応じて交換可能な球をモチーフとした幼児用手先具 (2021)
  • Author(s): 吉川雅博, 上山なつめ
  • Organizer: 第37回日本義肢装具学会学術大会
• [Presentation] 一人のための義手開発－デジタルファブリケーションが変える福祉機器開発の現場－ (2021)
  • Author(s): 吉川雅博
  • Organizer: NCA Annual Conference 2021
  • Invited
• [Presentation] A Prosthetic Hand with Three Opposing Fingers Driven by a Hydraulic Actuator (2020)
  • Author(s): Yuma Yamanaka, Masahiro Yoshikawa
  • Organizer: Proc. Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC2020)
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Assistive Finger with an Adaptive Mechanism to Object Shape for Persons with Finger Dysfunction (2020)
  • Author(s): Shotaro Funaki, Masahiro Yoshikawa
  • Organizer: Proc. IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (SMC2020)
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Compact and Lightweight Transradial Electric Prosthesis for Children with Forearm Deficiency (2019)
  • Author(s): Toya Kobayashi, Masahiro Yoshikawa, Kazunori Ogawa, Satoko Ohmatsu, and Noritaka Kawashima
  • Organizer: Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC2016),
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Remarks] 大阪工業大学アシスティブデバイス研究室
  • URL: https://assistive-device.org/
• [Remarks] 大阪工業大学アシスティブデバイス研究室
  • URL: http://assistive-device.org/publication.html