Grant to support research and production of ‘gripper’ for upper-extremity prostheses.
A $750,000 Phase II grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will allow PhysioNetics LLC, Littleton, Colorado, to continue its development work on a “gripper” for upper-extremity prostheses.
According to a PhysioNetics news release, the funds will be used to conduct clinical research with upper-extremity amputees to demonstrate that PhysioNetics’ Vari-Pinch Prehensor (V2P) reduces cumulative injury and overuse syndrome among users. The grant monies also will be used to modify the V2P for commercial production.
Bradley Veatch, PhysioNetics president and CEO, was a finalist in the 2009 Champions in Healthcare awards program sponsored by the Denver Business Journal. Veatch was recognized in the “Innovator” category for his work on the V2P and the International Transradial Adjustable Limb (I-TAL), a body-powered upper-extremity prosthesis intended to be affordable and to benefit amputees worldwide.
“The V2P’s patented design enables users to easily adjust the gripper’s pinch force to match the requirements of specific activities, thereby reducing muscle fatigue and lowering the risk of repetitive stress injuries,” PhysioNetics stated. “Evaluations of the V2P and I-TAL in Jamaica and Colorado prove the units are…able to survive strenuous activities like those associated with farming and other occupations that require physical strength and dexterity.”
PhysioNetics is an ADA Technologies company. ADA Technologies is also headquartered in Littleton.
