The research, led by Florida-based Limbitless Solutions, Wolfson Children’s Hospital of Jacksonville, and Nemours Children’s Health, aims to improve prosthetic mastery in children with congenital limb loss. Limbitless Solutions, a nonprofit, direct-support organization based at the University of Central Florida, specializes in developing muscle-based biosensing technology, such as bionic limbs, to increase prosthetic accessibility. The 3D-printed prosthetic devices can be paired with a smart phone and use a USB-type charger. The joint research effort brings expertise from pediatric research, neuroradiology, and bionics.
“Limited research has been conducted on how the brain’s motor cortex structure changes from congenital limb loss and subsequent use of a prosthetic,” said Albert Manero, PhD, executive director and cofounder of Limbitless Solutions.
The four-month clinical trial will examine if Limbitless’ prosthetic device, paired with its custom training video game, will affect the motor control center of the brain. Researchers will monitor changes in the signals the brain sends to the muscle groups that direct the device’s movement using advanced functional MRI before and after use of the prosthesis training. The researchers will also use tractography to identify new or more robust nerve pathways that may result from the training.
“It may provide new insight to how the brain’s motor cortex adapts to learning how to use our organic, or robotic, limbs,” Manero said.
Chetan Shah, MD, chair of radiology at Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville, Florida, and based at Wolfson Children’s Hospital of Jacksonville, will lead the imaging work.
“This research will help us see how the brain responds to the child’s newly acquired ability to use a prosthetic hand,” Shah said. “This is a novel way of using existing brain circuits to use an artificial limb, and most importantly, this is a life-changing device for a child both mentally and physically. We are extremely enthusiastic about this research.”
In 2016, Limbitless and Matt Dombrowski, MFA, with the University of Central Florida School of Visual Arts and Design and Peter Smith, PhD, with the Nicholson School of Communication and Media, created video games to train children’s muscles in anticipation of receiving bionic arms. The video games will be used in the trial to support training for the use of the prosthetic limb.
Previous clinical trials of technology developed by Limbitless Solutions, founded in 2014, have included examining the functionality of the bionic arms and their effect on quality of life, the effectiveness of video-game-based training, and the ability of a hands-free wheelchair control device to improve independent mobility and quality of life.
To learn more about the program and to apply to receive information about the study, visit trials.limbitless-solutions.org. The pilot study is for children ages nine to 12, and a maximum of five patients will be enrolled.
Editor’s note: This story was adapted from materials provided by the University of Central Florida.
Photograph by Nick Leyva courtesy of University of Central Florida.
