Touch Hand 4.5: low-cost additive manufacturing prosthetic hand participated in Cybathlon 2020 ARM discipline.
Kashreya Moodley, Jode Fourie, Zaahid Imran and 3 others
PMID 36451211WHAT IT FOUND
The Touch Hand 4.5 was the only team to complete the Haptic Box task in all races, but it was the slowest to finish the Breakfast task.
The pilot reported less skin irritation due to a breathable 3D-printed socket, though this was based on single-user feedback.
Key findings
01The device completed the Haptic Box task in all three races, unlike other teams, but took the longest time to complete both the Haptic Box and Breakfast tasks.
02The pilot reported less discomfort and skin irritation with the 3D-printed latticed socket compared to conventional sockets, attributing this to better breathability and less sweat accumulation.
03The pilot indicated that while the device lacked actual touch sensory feedback, the socket fitment allowed him to feel the motion of the hand and identify object hardness by the amount of squeeze required.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The findings are based on a single pilot's experience and performance in a competition, which limits generalisability to the broader amputee population. The pilot had only two weeks of training with the device before the competition, which may have affected performance times and adaptation. Task performance was hindered by external factors such as a faulty can opener and unfamiliar equipment, which may not reflect the device's true functional capability. The study did not include a control group or standardised clinical outcome measures for comfort or function, relying instead on verbal feedback and competition results.
Declared interests
The paper does not explicitly state funding sources or conflicts of interest, but it is authored by the Touch Prosthetics team, who designed and manufactured the device being evaluated.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the successful completion of the Haptic Box task as evidence of superior sensory feedback or functional performance in daily life. The device was the slowest in both tasks, and the pilot's positive reports on comfort and integration are based on a single user with limited training time and no comparison to standardised clinical measures.