Virtual Neuroprosthesis: Restoring a Sense of Touch to Amputees

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The overall goal of this project is to develop a virtual neuroprosthesis in which a facsimile of a neural implant is externalized and housed in a well-controlled microfluidic chamber, thereby abating the intrinsic limitations of highly invasive studies with neural implants. Able-bodied and upper limb amputee subjects will be recruited to control a dexterous artificial hand and arm with electromyogram signals while electroencephalogram (EEG) signals are simultaneously measured. Robotic grip force measurements will be biomimetically converted into electrical pulses similar to those found in the peripheral nervous system to catalyze in vitro nerve regeneration after neurotrauma. The synergistic contributions of this multidisciplinary project will lead to a transformative understanding of the symbiotic interaction of neural plasticity within human-robotic systems. Currently, there is no systematic understanding of how tactile feedback signals can contribute to the neural regeneration of afferent neural pathways to restore somatosensation and improve motor function in amputees fitted with neuroprosthetic limbs. Tackling this problem will be a significant breakthrough for the important field of neuroprosthetics.

Clinical Trial Description

Over one week, neurobehavioral processes will be examined in people controlling a robotic arm and hand to perform simple motor tasks (e.g. fragile object transportation), while a virtual peripheral nerve regeneration protocol provides users with biologically-realistic, idiosyncratic parameters for the restoration of haptic sensation (in double-blind fashion, the cellular neurophysiologists characterizing neural regeneration with microscopy are unaware of subjects' name and condition; and the human-subject experimenters are unaware of the haptic feedback parameter that will be used in the experiment each day, which is entered by the neurophysiologist in a black-box section of the software in the case of microscopic evaluation of nerve regeneration (early part of the project), or which is automatically input by the system in the case of real time impedimetric measurements (later part of the project)). The main experimental factors are 'haptic feedback', with three modalities: full, partial (nerve-regeneration dependent) and null; and to challenge human control strategy and impose demand on haptic information, the 'transported object weight' (heavy, medium and lightweight). Recording techniques: Subjects' electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG) and behavioral performance. ;

Study Design

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

Amputation

Clinical Trial Details

NCT number	NCT03581448
Study type	Interventional
Source	Florida Atlantic University
Contact
Status	Completed
Phase	N/A
Start date	October 15, 2017
Completion date	October 26, 2021

View Details

See also
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Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.

Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.