The SoftHand Pro platform: a flexible prosthesis with a user-centered approach.
Patricia Capsi-Morales, Cristina Piazza, Giorgio Grioli and 2 others
PMID 36755249WHAT IT FOUND
Two pilots using a soft prosthetic hand preferred myoelectric control over body-powered control, despite similar functional performance.
The hand adapted to object shapes, but grasp repeatability and wrist movement limited competition tasks.
Key findings
01For both pilots tested, functional capacity scores were similar across myoelectric and body-controlled configurations, but usability scores clearly favored myoelectric control.
02The hand used one tendon to actuate all 19 joints, so the user controlled only one degree of actuation while the fingers adapted to object shape.
03Pilot B found the hand's adaptability useful for everyday tasks, but poor grasp repeatability limited fast competition execution.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The paper reports a prototype and three pilots, not a controlled clinical study, so it cannot show that the hand works better than other prostheses. The pilots all had transradial upper-limb loss, so the results may not apply to other amputation levels or users. Competition tasks forced unusual object constraints and timed performance, which may not match everyday use. The authors report poor precise grasp, poor grasp repeatability, and limited active wrist rotation. Sensory feedback was limited, and one competition task was missed because of difficulty with sensory feedback.
Declared interests
The supplied text states that the work was supported by the European Research Council.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that this prosthesis is clinically superior to other hands. The evidence is prototype development, competition task times, and preferences from a small number of pilots, not a controlled clinical trial.