Ninapro

ProHand

Overview

ProHand is an ongoing proect aimed at developing an innovative robotic prosthetic hand controlled with machine learning and produced with additive manufacturing.

Upper limb amputation is a major injury that can strongly affect the daily life of a person.
Prosthetic hands that can execute multiple movements are available, but they are expensive and difficult to control.
Natural control via pattern recognition is promising, but it is applied mainly in scientific research so far.
3D printing can revolutionize prosthetics with solutions that can allow and include dexterous control, but the path to solid, open source prostheses still requires several efforts.

Thanks to the wonderful work by the BLINC Lab to create the HANDi Hand, in the past we developed a pattern-recognition control system for 3D printed hand prostheses:

• HANDi Hand control video link
• HANDi Hand control

Starting from this experience, we are currently working on the ProHand project with the aim of developing a dexterous 3D printed prosthetic hand that is dexterous, affordable and that can be used in real life conditions:

• Video on the Swiss National Italian television.
• Medium post

The path is still long, but we will keep you posted on the most interesting advancements via this website and papers.

Scientific papers

• Cognolato et al., Multifunction control and evaluation of a 3D printed hand prosthesis with the Myo armband by hand amputees, 2018

Team

• Dr. Manfredo Atzori (HES-SO Valais & Dept. of Neuroscience, University of Padova)
• Prof. Henning Müller (HES-SO Valais)
• Prof. Nicola Petrone (Dept. of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova)
• Franco Reggiani (HES-SO Valais, Dynatec Studio)
• Prof. Franco Bassetto (Padova University Hospital, Clinic of Plastic Surgery)
• Dr. Cesare Tiengo (Padova University Hospital, Clinic of Plastic Surgery)
• Jacopo Lazzaro ( Playcast srl)
• Giosuè Alberti ( Playcast srl )
• Matteo Cognolato (former team member, HES-SO Valais)
• Alessandro Buosi (former team member, HES-SO Valais)
• Dr. Diego Faccio (former team member, Padova University Hospital, Clinic of Plastic Surgery)

Former team members

• Matteo Cognolato (HES-SO Valais)
• Alessandro Buosi (HES-SO Valais, University of Padova)
• Dr. Diego Faccio (fPadova University Hospital, Clinic of Plastic Surgery)

Funding bodies