Concept of a system for training of bioprosthetic hand control in one side handless humans using virtual reality and visual and sensory biofeedback

Abstract

In the paper the concept of a training system is presented which can help to stimulate sensory-motor cortex centers in order to develop their ability for efficient use of bioprosthesis. The basis of the training system is a virtual reality with a virtual hand, that the trained patient can move and concurrently observe the movement on the screen (visual feedback) and whose contact with virtual objects the patient may feel as a touch (sensory feedback). The construction of the virtual hand consists of physical elements, connected by joints, a graphical object representing the structure of the hand and the bones enable its deformation. The control procedure of virtual hand is realized through recognition of intention of hand motion on the basis of EMG signals coming from the stump muscles. The recognition algorithm is constructed using the learning set, i.e the set of pairs containing the class of hand fingers movement and accompanying myopotentials segments, which are acquired from the muscles of healthy hand