Long-Term Stability of the Glide Control Strategy

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Glide Control System: Glide is a commercially developed directional myoelectric control strategy from Infinite Biomedical Technologies (IBT) that sits between classic Direct Control (DC) and modern Pattern Recognition (PR). Instead of requiring an isolated on/off muscle signal for each function (e.g., DC) or training a complex classifier on many gestures (e.g., PR), Glide uses the relative activity across 2-8 EMG electrodes to move a virtual cursor on a 2-D "Glide map." The map is divided into adjustable sectors ("slices"), and each slice is assigned a prosthetic movement (e.g., hand open/close, wrist rotation, elbow flexion). Moving the cursor into a slice actuates that movement.

Pattern Recognition System: Pattern recognition (PR)-based myoelectric control is a data-driven approach that allows a user to control multiple prosthetic functions using natural muscle activation patterns rather than discrete, isolated signals. Instead of mapping one muscle to one motion (as in conventional Direct Control), PR systems record the spatial and temporal pattern of EMG activity from multiple sites on the residual limb and use machine learning algorithms to classify which intended movement the user is trying to make.

Study summary

This research is intended to test whether the prescription of the Glide prosthesis control system reduces the burden of use for both patients and their clinical care team as compared to use of Pattern Recognition-based advanced myoelectric control. The goal of the study is to fill the gaps in clinically relevant knowledge to inform the prescription of prosthesis components and the rehabilitation process.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Daily Mean Number of Control Adjustment Sessions (DMNCAS) — Weekly, From Prosthesis Delivery (Day 0) to the End of Treatment (Day 168)
  DMNCAS quantifies the number of times a prosthesis user needs to adjust their control strategy to maintain performance. For a PR system, a control adjustment refers to a calibration (or recalibration) of one or more prosthesis movements, while for the Glide control strategy, a control adjustment refers to a change in the Glide map configuration (e.g., electrode gains, slice geometries, assigned movements, etc.). A control adjustment session is then a period of time devoted to performing one or more control adjustments. The number and duration of control adjustment sessions will be recorded in a study diary.
• Number of Follow-Up Clinical Interventions (NFCI) — Weekly, From Prosthesis Delivery (Day 0) to End of Treatment (Day 168)
  NFCI reports the number of times the prosthesis user requests the aid of a clinician to resolve an issue with their prescribed control strategy. NFCI refers to clinical interventions (both remote and in-person) that occur post-prosthesis delivery, the number and duration of which will be recorded in a study diary. Diary entries will be verified through a retrospective chart review in collaboration with Medical Center Orthotics \& Prosthetics.

Trial sites (10)

More Infinite Biomedical Technologies trials in the USA