Static force dependency of bone conduction transducer as sensory feedback for stump-socket based prosthesis

© 2018 Australasian Robotics and Automation Association. All rights reserved. The dependency of a novel sensory feedback for stump-socket based prosthesis on the static force is presented using a bone conduction transducer as feedback source. The stimulation was induced onto the bony landmarks of the elbow, specifically the Ulna and presented in an interval halving method. The perception threshold in the range of tactile and auditory perception at three different force levels has been tested. The inter subject variability is bigger than the intra subject variation. The small static force variation suggests a similar approach as in bone conduction hearing aids and therefore a static force bigger than 6N should be applied to perceive a constant stimulation. A mechanical design to include such a novel feedback into a stump-socket needs to account for this requirement. The inter subject variability needs to be addressed by incorporate some kind of person to person calibration of the gain.