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NEWS
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Dozens of experts are working on the programme to create the strapand-go-arm
Search for most advanced prosthetic limbs brings very promising results By Lyndsey Smith RESEARCHERS in North America and Canada have been rewarded with “very promising results” in their search for the most advanced prosthetic limbs ever. DEKA Research and Development core along with DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Project’s Agency) and the University Of New Brunswick (UNB) have been working together in a bid to revolutionise the world of prosthetics. Two programmes were commissioned – the RP2007 and the RP2009 – with the first prototype
ready last year and Dr. Kevin Englehart, associate director of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, UNB, admits they were impressed with what they found. He said: “Our involvement with the first project was to develop algorithms embedded in the control system. “This approach uses muscle activity to infer the desired limb motion and this was realised and tested in the first prototype with promising results.” However, despite success with RP2007 the researchers did
encounter problems on their way to the second prototype and it was decided by DEKA that this electromyogram (EMG) control was not ready so they developed an arm controlled by foot and chin switches – the strap-and-go-arm. Embedded electronics enable users to flip a switch, either with a foot or their chin, to activate the prosthesis and users can cycle through five different gripping actions to match the task at hand, whether it's using a pen, picking up a key, lifting a coffee cup, or using a power drill. The device is available in three
Orthopaedic consultant hosts placement for Goa doctor By Dominic Musgrave A SURGEON who has been demonstrating the UK’s most modern orthopaedic techniques in India has hosted a placement for an Indian doctor at Burnley General Hospital. Orthopaedic consultant Gunther Schmitgen has allowed Dr Rohit Chodanker from Goa to observe his work for the past six weeks and learn new techniques in the field of orthopaedic surgery – the branch of surgery concerned with injuries or conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Gunther was originally invited to India to take part in a congress and to help out with a charitable organisation – the Jeevan Asha Charitable Trust - which a former Burnley clinician, Dr Prem Vachhani, founded. Over the years Gunther’s reputation as a renowned orthopaedic surgeon has grown and he has been asked to return
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“It has always been my intention to educate, train and promote better healthcare internationally and I am pleased that as a result of the visits to India, they are doing more arthroscopies and improving the management of pain,” said Gunther. “By bringing Indian doctors to Burnley I believe they can further improve their skills by getting hands-on training which he can use to benefit to the local community back in India.”
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES I DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009
Both programmes involve international teams of dozens of experts and Kevin admits that’s what makes this project unique. “A small university in New Brunswick is working with some of the top labs in the world, and former industrial competitors are co-operating. We’re all working towards a common goal and exchanging expertise.”
Senior physiotherapist for the Midlands Centre for Spinal Injuries Emma Lloyd with Rajendra Thapa observing the treatment of a patient with a spinal cord injury.
for the past several years to illustrate his modern techniques, including arthroscopic (minimally invasive) surgery mainly on knees and shoulders as well as the effective management of pain. More recently he has invited Indian doctors to come to England and witness first-hand the sorts of pioneering principals and modern techniques being used here so they may take new skills back to India.
models – one for amputees who have lost a complete arm and others for those with amputations above and below the elbow and volunteers in the test programme reported strong acceptance for the project.
Nepal physio visits spinal injury centre A SPINAL physiotherapist from Nepal spent two weeks learning about systems and procedures at the Midlands Centre for Spinal Injuries (MCSI). In Nepal, Dr Rajendra Thapa works at the Spinal Rehabilitation Centre currently located in Kathmandu but which is moving to the new Spinal injuries Centre at Sanga Benepa. The new centre in Nepal has been modelled on MCSI and was the brainchild of a journalist and mountaineer who had an accident in 2001 and had to be treated outside of the country as there were no
sufficient facilities available. It will be funded by John Groom Overseas and others. Nepal is a landlocked country, historically a collection of many small kingdoms. Its recent history has involved struggles for democratic government with periods of direct monarchic rule. Rajendra said: “As we are a small country, we need to go abroad for specialist training. I am grateful to Mr El Masri and all the staff at the MCSI for allowing me to observe and learn from their work here in Oswestry.”