Following lower-limb amputation, patients suffer from sensory loss within the prosthesis/residuum complex leading to diminished proprioception and balance. Artificial sensory systems have the potential to improve rehabilitation outcomes including better functional usage of lower-limb prostheses to achieve a higher quality of life for the prosthetic users.
The purpose of this work was to develop and test the e fficacy of a vibrotactile feedback
system for lower-limb amputees that may augment feedback during complex balance and
movement tasks. Responses to different vibrotactile stimuli frequencies, locations, and physical conditions were assessed. Key outcome measures for this work were the response time and response accuracy of the subjects to the different stimulator configurations. Frequencies closer to 250 Hz applied to the anterior portion of the thigh resulted in the quickest reaction times. When multitasking, reaction times increased. These preliminary results indicate that vibrotactile sensory feedback may be viable to use by lower-limb amputees.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/42920 |
| Date | 28 November 2013 |
| Creators | Sharma, Aman |
| Contributors | Andrysek, Jan |
| Source Sets | University of Toronto |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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