Design Interactive, Inc. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase II: DHP14-011

Description

More than 1,500 Americans have lost a limb due to traumatic injury in combat in recent years.Upper limb loss can be treated with myoelectric prostheses, but such devices require intensive training to effectively operate. The need to concentrate and continuously react during training often takes amputees many months, with the result that many patients abandon use of the prosthesis. In the Phase I effort, Design Interactive, Inc. developed the ADAPT-MP tool, which consists of a mobile practitioner portal to support multiple-patient monitoring, a mobile, game-based patient tool with wireless EMG sensors to support training, and a secure server for data communication between the practitioner and patient systems.In the 24 month Phase II effort, with partner Hanger Prosthetics, we plan to extend the Phase I efforts by implementing a usability analysis, developing additional training modules and a fully functional provider portal, and performing clinical trials to determine the effectiveness of the novel training tool.We will assess prosthesis use compliance, skillfulness of use, quality of life and return to work/duty. Finally, the partnership with Hanger Prosthetics will be leveraged to develop and review the production and licensing plan to ensure the system transitions to a variety of markets.