HAPTIC PERCEPTION SYSTEM WITH STEREOGNOSTIC AND PROPRIOCEPTIVE SENSES INDUCTION FOR AN ARTIFICIAL LIMB OR A SENSORY DISRUPTED LIMB

Abstract

A haptic perception system for a hand prosthesis. The haptic perception system includes a stereognosis unit, a proprioception unit, and one or more processors. The stereognosis unit includes a plurality of pressure sensors attached onto an external surface of the hand prosthesis, a plurality of passive magnetic tags embedded in a hypoderm tissue of a residual limb of the amputee, and a plurality of electromagnetic coils attached onto a skin of the residual limb of the amputee. When a first electromagnetic coil is activated, a first passive magnetic tag moves toward the first electromagnetic coil and, to thereby, stimulates pressure sensory receptors present in the hypoderm tissue of the residual limb.

Description

Claims

1. A haptic perception system for a hand prosthesis of an amputee, the haptic perception system comprising: a stereognosis unit comprising: a plurality of pressure sensors attached onto an external surface of the hand prosthesis, a first pressure sensor from the plurality of pressure sensors configured to measure a pressure applied to the first pressure sensor;a plurality of passive magnetic tags, the plurality of passive magnetic tags configured to be embedded in a hypoderm tissue of a residual limb of the amputee, a first passive magnetic tag from the plurality of passive magnetic tags associated with the first pressure sensor; anda plurality of electromagnetic coils, the plurality of electromagnetic coils configured to be attached onto a skin of the residual limb of the amputee, a first electromagnetic coil from the plurality of electromagnetic coils associated with the first pressure sensor, the first electromagnetic coil configured to be placed above the first passive magnetic tag from the plurality of passive magnetic tags, the first electromagnetic coil configured to urge the first passive magnetic tag to move toward the first electromagnetic coil responsive to activation of the first electromagnetic coil;a proprioception unit, comprising: a strain gauge attached to a finger of the hand prosthesis, the strain gauge configured to measure strain in the finger of the hand prosthesis;a muscle magnetic tag, the muscle magnetic tag configured to be embedded in a muscle of the residual limb, the muscle magnetic tag associated with the strain gauge; anda row of electromagnetic coils, the row of electromagnetic coils configured to be attached onto the skin of the residual limb of the amputee, the row of electromagnetic coils configured to be arranged along a first axis, the first axis parallel to a main longitudinal axis of a tendon of the residual limb of the amputee, the tendon of the residual limb of the amputee directly connected to the muscle of the residual limb, each electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils configured to urge the muscle magnetic tag to move toward the each electromagnetic coil responsive to activation of the each electromagnetic coil; andone or more processors configured to: capture a first set of data from the first pressure sensor, the first set of data associated with a pressure applied to the first pressure sensor;detect the pressure applied to the first pressure sensor being higher than a threshold based on the first set of data;activate the first electromagnetic coil by sending a first activation signal to the first electromagnetic coil responsive to the pressure applied to the pressure sensor being higher than the threshold;capture a second set of data from the strain gauge, the second set of data associated with the strain of the finger of the hand prosthesis; andactivate one electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils by sending a second activation signal to the one electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils based on the second set of data; wherein: responsive to activation of the first electromagnetic coil, the first passive magnetic tag is configured to stimulate pressure sensory receptors present in the hypoderm tissue of the residual limb by the first passive magnetic tag is configured to move toward the first electromagnetic coil and;each pressure sensor from the plurality of pressure sensors is configured to measure a pressure applied to the each pressure sensor;each electromagnetic coil from the plurality of electromagnetic coils is configured to be placed above a respective passive magnetic tag from the plurality of passive magnetic tags.each electromagnetic coil from the plurality of electromagnetic coils is configured to urge the respective passive magnetic tag to move toward the each electromagnetic coil responsive to activation of the each electromagnetic coil;first electromagnetic coil is attached onto a hollow base;the hollow base is configured to be attached onto the skin of the residual limb;the hollow base is configured to prevent a direct contact between the first electromagnetic oil and the skin of the residual limb;the first passive magnetic tag is embedded in a capsule;the capsule is covered by a hydroxyapatite layer;a distance between two adjacent passive magnetic tags of the plurality of passive magnetic tags is less than 7 mm;a distance between two adjacent electromagnetic coils of the plurality of electromagnetic coils is less than 7 mm;the row of electromagnetic coils comprises four electromagnetic coils comprising a second electromagnetic coil, a third electromagnetic coil, a fourth electromagnetic coil, and a fifth electromagnetic coil; andthe one or more processors are further configured to: activate the second electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils by sending the second activation signal to the second electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils responsive to the strain of the finger of the hand prosthesis being less than a first predetermined amount;activate the third electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils by sending the second activation signal to the third electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils responsive to the strain of the finger of the hand prosthesis being greater than the first predetermined amount and less than a second predetermined amount;activate the fourth electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils by sending the second activation signal to the fourth electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils responsive to the strain of the finger of the hand prosthesis being greater than the second predetermined amount and less than a third predetermined amount; andactivate the fifth electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils by sending the second activation signal to the fifth electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils responsive to the strain of the finger of the hand prosthesis being greater than the third predetermined amount.

2. A haptic perception system for a hand prosthesis of an amputee, the haptic perception system comprising: a stereognosis unit, comprising: a plurality of pressure sensors attached onto an external surface of the hand prosthesis, a first pressure sensor from the plurality of pressure sensors configured to measure a pressure applied to the first pressure sensor;a plurality of passive magnetic tags, the plurality of passive magnetic tags configured to be embedded in a hypoderm tissue of a residual limb of the amputee, a first passive magnetic tag from the plurality of passive magnetic tags associated with the first pressure sensor; anda plurality of electromagnetic coils, the plurality of electromagnetic coils configured to be attached onto a skin of the residual limb of the amputee, a first electromagnetic coil from the plurality of electromagnetic coils associated with the first pressure sensor, the first electromagnetic coil configured to be placed above the first passive magnetic tag from the plurality of passive magnetic tags, the first electromagnetic coil configured to urge the first passive magnetic tag to move toward the first electromagnetic coil responsive to activation of the first electromagnetic coil; andone or more processors configured to: capture a first set of data from the first pressure sensor, the first set of data associated with a pressure applied to the first pressure sensor;detect the pressure applied to the first pressure sensor being higher than a threshold based on the first set of data; andactivate the first electromagnetic coil by sending a first activation signal to the first electromagnetic coil responsive to the pressure applied to the pressure sensor being higher than the threshold,wherein responsive to activation of the first electromagnetic coil, the first passive magnetic tag is configured to stimulate pressure sensory receptors present in the hypoderm tissue of the residual limb by the first passive magnetic tag moving toward the first electromagnetic coil.

3. The haptic perception system of claim 2, further comprising: a proprioception unit, comprising: a strain gauge attached to a finger of the hand prosthesis, the strain gauge configured to measure strain in the finger of the hand prosthesis;a muscle magnetic tag, the muscle magnetic tag configured to be embedded in a muscle of the residual limb, the muscle magnetic tag associated with the strain gauge; anda row of electromagnetic coils, the row of electromagnetic coils configured to be attached onto the skin of the residual limb of the amputee, the row of electromagnetic coils configured to be arranged along a first axis, the first axis parallel to a main longitudinal axis of a tendon of the residual limb of the amputee, the tendon of the residual limb of the amputee directly connected to the muscle of the residual limb, each electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils configured to urge the muscle magnetic tag to move toward the each electromagnetic coil responsive to activation of the each electromagnetic coil; wherein:the one or more processors are further configured to: capture a second set of data from the strain gauge, the second set of data associated with the strain of the finger of the hand prosthesis; andactivate one electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils by sending a second activation signal to the one electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils based on the second set of data.

4. The haptic perception system of claim 3, wherein: each pressure sensor from the plurality of pressure sensors is configured to measure a pressure applied to the each pressure sensor;each passive magnetic tag from the plurality of passive magnetic tags is associated with a respective pressure sensor from the plurality of pressure sensors;each electromagnetic coil from the plurality of electromagnetic coils is associated with a respective pressure sensor from the plurality of pressure sensors;each electromagnetic coil from the plurality of electromagnetic coils is configured to be placed above a respective passive magnetic tag from the plurality of passive magnetic tags;each electromagnetic coil from the plurality of electromagnetic coils is configured to urge the respective passive magnetic tag to move toward the each electromagnetic coil responsive to activation of the each electromagnetic coil.

5. The haptic perception system of claim 4, wherein: the first electromagnetic coil is attached onto a hollow base;the hollow base is configured to be attached onto the skin of the residual limb; andthe hollow base is configured to prevent a direct contact between the first electromagnetic oil and the skin of the residual limb.

6. The haptic perception system of claim 5, wherein: the first passive magnetic tag is embedded in a capsule; andthe capsule is covered by a hydroxyapatite layer.

7. The haptic perception system of claim 6, wherein: a distance between two adjacent passive magnetic tags of the plurality of passive magnetic tags is less than 7 mm; anda distance between two adjacent electromagnetic coils of the plurality of electromagnetic coils is less than 7 mm.

8. The haptic perception system of claim 7, wherein the row of electromagnetic coils comprises four electromagnetic coils comprising a second electromagnetic coil, a third electromagnetic coil, a fourth electromagnetic coil, and a fifth electromagnetic coil.

9. The haptic perception system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: activate the second electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils by sending the second activation signal to the second electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils responsive to the strain of the finger of the hand prosthesis being less than a first predetermined amount;activate the third electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils by sending the second activation signal to the third electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils responsive to the strain of the finger of the hand prosthesis being greater than the first predetermined amount and less than a second predetermined amount;activate the fourth electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils by sending the second activation signal to the fourth electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils responsive to the strain of the finger of the hand prosthesis being greater than the second predetermined amount and less than a third predetermined amount; andactivate the fifth electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils by sending the second activation signal to the fifth electromagnetic coil from the row of electromagnetic coils responsive to the strain of the finger of the hand prosthesis being greater than the third predetermined amount.

10. The haptic perception system of claim 9, wherein: the plurality of passive magnetic tags are attached onto a sheet; andthe sheet is configured to be embedded in the hypoderm tissue of the residual limb of the amputee.

11. The haptic perception system of claim 10, wherein the muscle magnetic tag is configured to be placed at a musculotendinous junction between the muscle and the tendon.

12. The haptic perception system of claim 10, wherein the pressure sensory receptors comprises Meissner’s and/or Pacinian corpuscles.

13. A haptic perception system for a hand prosthesis of an amputee, the haptic perception system comprising: a pressure sensor attached to the hand prosthesis, the pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure applied to the hand prosthesis;a passive magnetic tag configured to be embedded in a hypoderm tissue of a residual limb of the amputee;an electromagnetic coil configured to be attached onto a skin of the residual limb of the amputee, the electromagnetic coil configured to urge the passive magnetic tag to move toward the first electromagnetic coil responsive to activation of the first electromagnetic coil; andone or more processors configured to activate the electromagnetic coil responsive to the pressure applied to the pressure sensor being higher than a threshold.