Hello Again Everyone!
Got some great responses to my question. One of the responders was curious
just who was asking for the explanation and difference between the terms
“myoelectric” and “bioelectric”. The request has come from an insurance
company who has received two different proposals to provide an arm to a
patient. The insurance company is trying to determine the appropriateness of
either device for their patient.
In this particular case, it seems to me that the term, “bioelectric”, is
being used to describe a hybrid device. Based on the responses, it would
seem that the original intent of the word was substantially different. The
comment about the history of the usage of the term was also probably right
on track.
I got a few responses from old friends who took the opportunity to joke
about the question. Thank you for your humor, even though I did not include
most of your responses. I did list Al Pike’s response, which includes the
joke about the difference between a brace and an orthosis, and that wreaks
of the kind of bitter sarcasm and cynicism that I personally find very
funny. And I’m not nearly as old as Al.
Thank you again to all who took the time to respond.
Warren Mays, CPO
The original question:
I have been asked to explain the difference between a myoelectric prosthesis
and a “bioelectric” prosthesis. Can any of you elaborate? I have never heard
of a bioelectric prosthesis. Is there such a thing and, if so, what is the
difference?
The responses..
-A bioeletric prosthesis attempts to use mind body nerve impulses to control
the prosthetic device.
The myoelectric prosthesis uses muscle switch control to control the
prosthesis.
The original paper from MIT was published in 1965.
Current RESEARCH Is Still experimental.
-Looking at Google it would appear they are the same, but it reminds me of a
joke. What is the difference between a brace and an orthosis – $450.
-http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/4297/RLE-TR-446-04743378.pdf?
sequence=
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26731956
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/42409071_A_Russian_Bioelectric-Cont
rolled_Prosthesis
My wild guess is Russians who were first to develop “bioelectric”
prosthesis, as it didn’t catch in then USSR – I actually remember them
showing a gauntlet able to turn a light bulb in on the news there, when I
was a kid – sold patents to Canada. It did not pick up in Canada either and
was sold to German company called Otto Bock, who then became a “world leader
in myoelectric prothetics’.
Which is actually a fact. Germans likely simply changed the name to pretend
originality.
– A BIOELECTRIC PROSTHESIS MIGHT BE ONE THAT USES SOME FORM OF BODY POWER
TO CONTROL AN ELECTRIC COMPONENT OF A PROTHESIS, HAND, ELBOW OR WRIST
ROTATION. I ALWAYS CALLED IT A HYBRID ELECTRIC PROSTHESIS AS IT DOESN’T USE
MYOELECTRIC SIGNALS FROM THE BODY TO ACTUATE THE COMPONENT.
YOU COULD HAVE A PUSH A LITTLE/PUSH A LOT TO AFFECT OPEN/CLOSE FOR EXAMPLE.
YOU COULD HAVE A ROCKER SWITCH TO ACTIVATE ELBOW EXTENSION/ELBOW FLEXION
ETC.
THERE ARE ALSO PULL SWITCHES THAT HAVE THE FUNCTION OF REVERSNG POLARITY TO
CHANGE DIRECTION WITH A PULL A LITTLE/PULL A LOT.
SOME PATIENTS LOVE THIS FORM OF CONTROL BECAUSE IT NATURAL, RELIABLE AND NOT
SUBJECT TO ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE. YOU COULD ALSO COMBINE THIS WITH
MYOELECTRIC FOR SOME DEGREES OF FREEDOM.
– I first guess was the Bioelectric would be referring to a direct neural
interface but from what I see in a quick Google search myoelectric and
bioelectric appear to be the same thing.
– I’d be interested to hear the responses you get and also to know who asked
you to explain the difference.
– What biology or biological system are we talking about?
– Bioeletric is a term to indicate an organisms ability to produce
electricity. I found articles going back to the sixties testing the
potential to harness the human bio electric ability. So in theory a bio
electric device would be powered by the electricity created by the body,
where as myoeletric devices are controlled by those electric signals. I
think the term bio electric is probably synonymous with myoeletric at this
point, in the future maybe there will b no external battery and the implants
to the nerves will power and control the prosthesis.
