Characterized by the strong multidisciplinary approach of “WiFi-MyoHand”, “RGM5” and “3D-AID” focus on innovative and customized technological solutions to improve the lives of amputees.
Rome, 12 January 2021 - In the field of bionic upper limb prostheses they are destined to give a further acceleration to the progress achieved in recent years: these are the three projects underway at theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma in collaboration with the Inail Prosthesis Center in Budrio (BO) and with the participation of Sant'Anna High School of Pisa.
These are three projects in the field of bionics and low-cost assistive technologies, called "WiFi-MyoHand", "RGM5" and "3D-AID". In particular “WiFi-MyoHand” will develop a new bionic prosthesis with sensory feedback thanks to a completely implantable and wireless neural stimulation system; “RGM5” it will develop new bionic surgery procedures for adapting the amputee's body to the most innovative prostheses and restore proprioception; “3DAID” will realize innovative “low-cost” hand prostheses and orthotics thanks to the use of advanced rapid prototyping techniques with 3D printing.
The presentation of the three projects at the Roman university was attended by Andrea Rossi, general manager of theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, by the vice-rector for research, prof. Eugenio William, by Prof. Vincenzo Denaro, chief physician emeritus of the Orthopedics and Traumatology Unit, of prof Loredana Zollo, president of the Master's Degree Course in Biomedical Engineering, by prof. Vincenzo Di Lazzaro, dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and prof. Giovanni Di Pino, director of the Next Lab - Neurophysiology and Neuroengineering of Human-Technology Interaction. For Inail were present, among others, Eng. Emanuele Groups, technical director of the Inail Prosthesis Research Area, and Eng. Angelo Davalli, responsible for technical and health training, while for the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, prof. Christian Cipriani, director of the BioRobotics Institute.
"The launch of the projects in collaboration with Inail and Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna di Pisa is a very important moment for theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma - has ofchiarato Andrea Rossi, general manager of theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma - We are proud to be able to develop some of our most ambitious projects with historic and prestigious partners such as Inail and Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna in Pisa. At the end of a difficult year, which opens up to great future opportunities, strengthening existing scientific collaboration relationships means having the possibility of carrying out initiatives with a great future social impact, aware that the search for solutions for the health and well-being of the person is central element in our mission as a university”.
“Inail has long been engaged in the search for innovative solutions in the prosthetic and rehabilitation fields – says Emanuele Gruppioni, technical director of the Inail Prosthesis Center research area - Through its experience, it has in fact created a "network" based on collaboration between research centres, healthcare facilities and other interested parties for the benefit of basic research and technological transfer, with the aim of positively influencing the quality of life of own clients. The collaboration between the Inail Prosthetic Center and theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, started in 2013, has enabled important results to be achieved. We have an identical approach to the patient, because for both of us the aim of research is innovation at the service of people with disabilities. With these new projects, called “WiFi-MyoHand”, “RGM5” and “3D-AID” we mean strengthen shared know-how to now face more complex challenges. These are high-profile technical-scientific projects that will lead to innovative systems, devices and methods for the concrete benefit of INAIL clients”.
The three projects at a glance:
“WiFi-MyoHand” – Implantable system optimized for interfacing with the peripheral nervous system and the control of the upper limb prosthesis
Running for three years, the project aims to restore tactile sensitivity through implanted neural interfaces and innovative completely implantable and wireless peripheral stimulation solutions. He also wants to improve prosthesis control through high-density electromyography electrode grids and advanced muscle signal processing techniques. The work of the different teams will focus on the development of a fully implantable neural stimulation system to allow the use of the prosthesis at home and highly dexterous prosthesis control in carrying out daily life tasks, thanks to the newfound tactile sensitivity. The project, directed by Professor Loredana Zollo and by Eng. Francesca Cordella as co-responsible, involves the CREO Lab of the Faculty of Engineering of theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma together with the clinical area of the Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital represented by the Orthopedics and Traumatology, Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Units and the Next Lab, the Inail Prosthesis Center in Budrio in addition to the Artificial Hands Area of the BioRobotics Institute of the Sant'Anna High School of Pisa, directed by prof. Christian Cipriani, for the development of the sensorized prosthesis.
“RGM5” – (Re)-Give Me Five, Exploring new frontiers in prosthetic surgery
It focuses on the stump of the upper limb of the amputee and works on the development of procedures bionic surgery for the revision and functionalization of the abutment such as Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR) and osseointegration in order to make it able to accommodate modern bionic prostheses. The project operates simultaneously in the clinical and engineering fields linked to sensory feedback in the proprioceptive field. Furthermore, the project aims to activate a Bionic Surgery center at the Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital which is a national reference point for limb amputee patients. Directed by prof. Vincenzo Denaro (together with Prof. Vincenzo Di Lazzaro e Giovanni Di Pine as co-responsible) the project will last three years and sees as lead partner the clinical area of the Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital with the units of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, and Next Lab, the involvement of the Medicine unit Physics and Rehabilitation and the CREO Lab of the Faculty of Engineering and the participation of the Artificial Hands Area of the Sant'Anna High School of Pisa, regarding proprioceptive sensitivity, in conjunction with the INAIL Prosthesis Center in Budrio.
“It is essential that INAIL gives continuity to these frontier projects on the "bionic hand" and that important research centers such as the BioRobotics Institute of the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna and Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma collaborate together – he states Christian Cipriani, director of the BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna. On the one hand, these projects will make it possible to disseminate certain cutting-edge surgical practices in Italy as well, and on the other, they will feed a virtuous system that brings innovation to assistive practices and prostheses. The process is slow, as we know, but it is also thanks to these initiatives that the world of limb prosthetics is being revolutionized”.
“3D-AID” - Low-cost hand prostheses and exoskeletal robotic aids
The project intends to develop innovative and "low cost" hand prostheses and exoskeletons, thanks to the use of advanced technologies rapid prototyping techniques with 3D printing. It is led by the CREO Lab of the Faculty of Engineering of theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma (responsible prof Loredana Zollo, co-manager Eng. Fabrizio Taffoni) and sees the involvement of the clinical area through the Orthopedics and Traumatology, Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Units and the Next Lab. Starting from the study of human biomechanics, the project outlines customized prosthesis and orthotic solutions for the patient, designed and manufactured through an innovative 3D printing process that integrates the enabling technologies of the IoT (Internet of Things) such as “additive manufacturing”, “virtual modeling” and “cloud”. The role of the Inail Prosthesis Center in Budrio (Bo) and its Lametia Terme branch in the definition of the manufacturing process with latest generation 3D printing and the experimental verification of the developed technologies.
