Article

Technological advances in upper-limb prosthetic design offer dramatically
increased possibilities for powered movement. The DEKA Arm system allows users 10
powered degrees of movement. Learning to control these movements by utilizing a
set of motions that, in most instances, differ from those used to obtain the
desired action prior to amputation is a challenge for users. In the Department of
Veterans Affairs "Study to Optimize the DEKA Arm," we attempted to facilitate
motor learning by using a virtual reality environment (VRE) program. This VRE
program allows users to practice controlling an avatar using the controls
designed to operate the DEKA Arm in the real world. In this article, we provide
highlights from our experiences implementing VRE in training amputees to use the
full DEKA Arm. This article discusses the use of VRE in amputee rehabilitation,
describes the VRE system used with the DEKA Arm, describes VRE training, provides
qualitative data from a case study of a subject, and provides recommendations for
future research and implementation of VRE in amputee rehabilitation. Our
experience has led us to believe that training with VRE is particularly valuable
for upper-limb amputees who must master a large number of controls and for those
amputees who need a structured learning environment because of cognitive
deficits.

Langue : ANGLAIS