Control within a virtual environment is correlated to functional outcomes when using a physical prosthesis

Abstract Background Advances such as targeted muscle reinnervation and pattern recognition control may provide improved control of upper limb myoelectric prostheses, but evaluating user function remains challenging. Virtual environments are cost-effective and immersive tools that are increasingly us...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Levi Hargrove, Laura Miller, Kristi Turner, Todd Kuiken
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2018-09-01
Series:Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12984-018-0402-y
_version_ 1818147417671860224
author Levi Hargrove
Laura Miller
Kristi Turner
Todd Kuiken
author_facet Levi Hargrove
Laura Miller
Kristi Turner
Todd Kuiken
author_sort Levi Hargrove
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Advances such as targeted muscle reinnervation and pattern recognition control may provide improved control of upper limb myoelectric prostheses, but evaluating user function remains challenging. Virtual environments are cost-effective and immersive tools that are increasingly used to provide practice and evaluate prosthesis control, but the relationship between virtual and physical outcomes—i.e., whether practice in a virtual environment translates to improved physical performance—is not understood. Methods Nine people with transhumeral amputations who previously had targeted muscle reinnervation surgery were fitted with a myoelectric prosthesis comprising a commercially available elbow, wrist, terminal device, and pattern recognition control system. Virtual and physical outcome measures were obtained before and after a 6-week home trial of the prosthesis. Results After the home trial, subjects showed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.05) in offline classification error, the virtual Target Achievement Control test, and the physical Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure and Box and Blocks Test. A trend toward improvement was also observed in the physical Clothespin Relocation task and Jebsen-Taylor test; however, these changes were not statistically significant. The median completion time in the virtual test correlated strongly and significantly with the Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure (p = 0.05, R = − 0.86), Box and Blocks Test (p = 0.007, R = − 0.82), Jebsen-Taylor Test (p = 0.003, R = 0.87), and the Assessment of Capacity for Myoelectric Control (p = 0.005,R = − 0.85). The classification error performance only had a significant correlation with the Clothespin Relocation Test (p = 0.018, R = .76). Conclusions In-home practice with a pattern recognition-controlled prosthesis improves functional control, as measured by both virtual and physical outcome measures. However, virtual measures need to be validated and standardized to ensure reliability in a clinical or research setting. Trial registration This is a registered clinical trial: NCT03097978.
first_indexed 2024-12-11T12:34:55Z
format Article
id doaj.art-645cdbe929f045eab37cb25e41118241
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1743-0003
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-11T12:34:55Z
publishDate 2018-09-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation
spelling doaj.art-645cdbe929f045eab37cb25e411182412022-12-22T01:07:09ZengBMCJournal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation1743-00032018-09-0115S11710.1186/s12984-018-0402-yControl within a virtual environment is correlated to functional outcomes when using a physical prosthesisLevi Hargrove0Laura Miller1Kristi Turner2Todd Kuiken3Shirley Ryan AbilityLabShirley Ryan AbilityLabShirley Ryan AbilityLabShirley Ryan AbilityLabAbstract Background Advances such as targeted muscle reinnervation and pattern recognition control may provide improved control of upper limb myoelectric prostheses, but evaluating user function remains challenging. Virtual environments are cost-effective and immersive tools that are increasingly used to provide practice and evaluate prosthesis control, but the relationship between virtual and physical outcomes—i.e., whether practice in a virtual environment translates to improved physical performance—is not understood. Methods Nine people with transhumeral amputations who previously had targeted muscle reinnervation surgery were fitted with a myoelectric prosthesis comprising a commercially available elbow, wrist, terminal device, and pattern recognition control system. Virtual and physical outcome measures were obtained before and after a 6-week home trial of the prosthesis. Results After the home trial, subjects showed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.05) in offline classification error, the virtual Target Achievement Control test, and the physical Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure and Box and Blocks Test. A trend toward improvement was also observed in the physical Clothespin Relocation task and Jebsen-Taylor test; however, these changes were not statistically significant. The median completion time in the virtual test correlated strongly and significantly with the Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure (p = 0.05, R = − 0.86), Box and Blocks Test (p = 0.007, R = − 0.82), Jebsen-Taylor Test (p = 0.003, R = 0.87), and the Assessment of Capacity for Myoelectric Control (p = 0.005,R = − 0.85). The classification error performance only had a significant correlation with the Clothespin Relocation Test (p = 0.018, R = .76). Conclusions In-home practice with a pattern recognition-controlled prosthesis improves functional control, as measured by both virtual and physical outcome measures. However, virtual measures need to be validated and standardized to ensure reliability in a clinical or research setting. Trial registration This is a registered clinical trial: NCT03097978.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12984-018-0402-yProstheticsMyoelectric controlPattern recognitionOutcomes
spellingShingle Levi Hargrove
Laura Miller
Kristi Turner
Todd Kuiken
Control within a virtual environment is correlated to functional outcomes when using a physical prosthesis
Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation
Prosthetics
Myoelectric control
Pattern recognition
Outcomes
title Control within a virtual environment is correlated to functional outcomes when using a physical prosthesis
title_full Control within a virtual environment is correlated to functional outcomes when using a physical prosthesis
title_fullStr Control within a virtual environment is correlated to functional outcomes when using a physical prosthesis
title_full_unstemmed Control within a virtual environment is correlated to functional outcomes when using a physical prosthesis
title_short Control within a virtual environment is correlated to functional outcomes when using a physical prosthesis
title_sort control within a virtual environment is correlated to functional outcomes when using a physical prosthesis
topic Prosthetics
Myoelectric control
Pattern recognition
Outcomes
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12984-018-0402-y
work_keys_str_mv AT levihargrove controlwithinavirtualenvironmentiscorrelatedtofunctionaloutcomeswhenusingaphysicalprosthesis
AT lauramiller controlwithinavirtualenvironmentiscorrelatedtofunctionaloutcomeswhenusingaphysicalprosthesis
AT kristiturner controlwithinavirtualenvironmentiscorrelatedtofunctionaloutcomeswhenusingaphysicalprosthesis
AT toddkuiken controlwithinavirtualenvironmentiscorrelatedtofunctionaloutcomeswhenusingaphysicalprosthesis