Innovative user-centred solution to transform upper limb amputees’ treatment

Project Information

OneHAND

Grant agreement ID: 965731

DOI

10.3030/965731

Project closed

EC signature date 28 October 2020

Start date 1 December 2020

End date 31 March 2024

Funded under

• Horizon 2020 Framework Programme

Total cost

€ 3 599 615,00

EU contribution

€ 2 094 500,00

Coordinated by

THE SIMULATION CREW BV
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - OneHAND (Innovative user-centred solution to transform upper limb amputees’ treatment)

Reporting period: 2023-06-01 to 2024-03-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

For upper limb amputees the rehabilitation journey is complex, long and fragmented leading to suboptimal prothesis use and even abandoning prosthetic solutions. This of course impacts the amputees well being and health. Successful rehabilitation and training of prosthetic use is important for amputees to participate in daily life. The OneHand project aims to facilitate the rehabilitation and training process by means of an innovative Virtual Reality training game and standardised procedures for training and rehabilitation. Together they will create a more efficient and motivating journey for the users, leading to better prothesis use better quality of life for upper limb amputees.

The amendment to the project has strategically redirected our focus towards the development of the VR Training solution and the establishment of comprehensive Rehabilitation guidelines and standardization procedures. This shift has led to the exclusion of further advancements in prosthetic device development from the project scope. Despite this change, we are confident that the VR training platform will significantly enhance the rehabilitation and training processes for upper-limb amputees.
- Enhanced Training Efficiency and Cost Reduction: The VR training solution is designed to streamline the rehabilitation process, potentially reducing both the time and costs associated with traditional prosthetic training methods. This efficiency is achieved through the platform's advanced features and high level of usability, which have been rigorously validated.
- Validation and Positive Feedback: The platform has received positive feedback from both users and clinicians, indicating its effectiveness and user-friendliness. External reviews have further underscored the added value of this innovative solution, enhancing its credibility and anticipated impact in the field of rehabilitation.
- Commercialization Challenges and Strategies: While there are challenges in commercialization, such as the limited market size and the inability to classify the product as a medical device, these are offset by the significant time savings and improved quality of training. These factors are expected to lead to a promising return on investment for clinics and therapists.
- Market Expansion and Educational Integration: By positioning the VR platform not only as a prosthesis training tool but also as a comprehensive VR Prosthesis Experience for educational institutions, we anticipate an expanded market reach.

In conclusion, the VR training platform is a comprehensive training solution that promises to revolutionize the way myo-controlled prostheses are taught and mastered, delivering tangible benefits to patients, therapists, and healthcare providers alike.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The final period focused on finalising the training platform to deliver a commercially exploitable product, validation of the solution with potential users and other stakeholders, preparing the solution for commercialisation, and finalising the literature review and guidelines. In multiple iterations the training platform itself was improved on usability and accessibility aspects, and extended with therapists functionality, Much effort has been put in the research and prototyping of the required Myo-control band, resulting in a much improved setup that is currently being productised by a subcontractor.

The training platform is evaluated to establish the viability of the training platform. User studies with able-bodied participants trained prosthesis showed that training with the platform led to test results that did not differ from test results with an actual prosthesis. Moreover, prosthesis users and therapists evaluated the experiences of the training platform regarding usability, motivation, workload and feasibility of implementing the training platform in standard care. Usability and motivation were high and prosthesis workload was acceptable. The users were positive regarding implementing the training platform in standard care. These findings show the potential for using VR in rehabilitation practice and the potential impact of the OneHand training platform, specifically.

The Business plan was evaluated and validated with multiple stakeholder groups and finetuned with market research. A partnership has been established with a company active in the field of rehabilitation too act as indirect sales channel (reseller) extending potential market reach internationally. Furthermore the educational market is targeted as additional target audience as means to experience prosthetic use for future healthcare professionals, with interviews validating the added value in health care education.

A comprehensive literature review has highlighted key factors that are essential to improving the outcomes and satisfaction of upper limb service users. Through the literature review and a key working group, guidelines for rehabilitation personnel was created and accompanying service user resources developed to improve information dissemination and establish a baseline to be utilised globally and to help build capacity amongst upper limb amputation rehabilitation personnel.

The training platform and guidelines have been presented and demonstrated at various occasions, showcasing the results of the project.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

This project has succeeded in creating an unprecedented Virtual Reality rehabilitation and training program for individuals using prosthetics. The journey to mastering the use of a prosthetic can often be disjointed and time-consuming, with users sometimes receiving insufficient training. Our VR solution allows amputees to practice using their prosthetics in a safe and engaging environment that closely mimics real-world activities, even before they receive their physical prosthetics. This enhances the effective use of prosthetics and reduces instances of users abandoning these devices.

Employing VR technology in prosthetic training is an innovative leap that holds immense potential to elevate the quality and efficacy of rehabilitation training. It allows the application of gamified training techniques while creating a natural training environment. Moreover, it offers unique ways to motivate users and personalize their training experience. Despite the intrinsic usability challenges and restrictions of Virtual Reality, the consortium has managed to create a highly accessible VR training that is as effective as training with real prosthetic devices. Part of this project's achievements is the development of guidelines for healthcare providers. This provides guidance for clinicians worldwide to optimize the patient journey and incorporate the VR solution into a comprehensive approach that maximizes the effectiveness of rehabilitation and training.

Our project promises to be a considerable advancement in prosthetic therapy, far exceeding current practices. While the role of therapy is essential in boosting prosthetic utilization rates, we recognize the substantial variations in therapy applications across different countries and regions. Our project, which leverages VR technology, can help bridge these gaps and explore the potential of immersive and interactive training programs to boost the effectiveness and accessibility of prosthetic therapy. With VR gaining traction as a tool for empathy-building and training among able-bodied individuals, we foresee its adoption expanding to educational institutions.

Onehand project