R3 Questions Flashcards
The body-powered upper limb prosthetic with which wounded soldiers are routinely fitted was developed during what US war?
Civil War
Explain how the modular prosthetic arm, (which Miles O’Brien demonstrates with Courtney Moran), works.
The stump was first stuck with electrodes, which were connected to the modular prosthetic arm. Through pattern recognition, those electrodes were going to detect any electrical impulses that were produced when the muscles contract.
What can O’Brien do with the arm? What shortcomings does he note?
O’Brien could extend the elbow, open and close his hand, and hold objects within his hand. The shortcomings that he mentioned was the fact that he felt he was unpredictable or erratic, causing him to find how limited his ability was to move his lost hand.
What is targeted muscle reinnervation surgery, and what additional step does it take beyond the simple demonstration O’Brien gives of the prosthetic arm?
Targeted muscle reinnervation surgery: the rewiring of electrical information that couldn’t be accessed previously to a new way that could be recorded and attain a natural amplifier for the muscles.
After this, the sensors can start to pick up the hand movements more fluidly, making the prosthetic more operable.
What are the two main problems in making a prosthetic that gives a person sensory information from “touch”?
- touch sensory is much more difficult due to complex ideas of perception
- being able to understand sensory information that is useful for amputees
How does the device “worn” by Igor work?
It transmits electrical impulses through a computer and wires into different electrodes in the arm, which can stimulate the attached sensory nerves.
What is the goal of the work done by V. Santos, and (roughly) how does she proceed?
Dr. Santos is hoping to construct artificial haptic intelligence, language that is understandable by a human and computer.
She is trying to do this with mechanical touch sensors that could be suitable for various objects.
