Infinite Biomedical Technologies has announced the release of a wireless controller technology that can allow upper limb amputees to control grip modes with radio frequency identification.
According to a press release, the morph2 controller uses high-frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) to create an invisible “detection cloud” around the prosthesis. RFID tags act as inputs for the prosthesis and allow for immediate and accurate shifts in grip pattern.
“Conventional methods can be unintuitive, or simply too difficult to reproduce consistently,” Rahul Kaliki, PhD, chief executive officer of Infinite Biomedical Technologies, said in the release. “Users of morph2 will no longer have to think about the steps needed to change their grip or wrist operation. They will simply have to reach near a tag or let the tag tell the hand how to move. It gives them more confidence that their prosthesis will move the way they want it to.”
The “paper-thin” tags come in a variety of sizes, the release noted. The adhesive backing allows users to attach tags to objects in an environment or on their person. The tags do not use batteries.
When an RFID-tagged object is within the detection cloud, the tag wirelessly sends commands to the prosthesis that allow it to switch functions. In addition, the morph2 can employ a lock and unlock tag that allows users to lock their prosthesis in place to securely grip delicate objects.
According to the release, the morph2 “has the potential to improve the lives of thousands of amputees by giving users more seamless control over their prosthetic hands.”
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Disclosure: Infinite Biomedical Technologies reports the development of the morph2 was funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
