COLLABORATION BETWEEN OCCUPATIONA L THERAPY AND ENGINNEERING : 3D ROBOHAND

INCREASES PLAY FOR A YOUNG CHILD

Cynthia Lau, PhD, OTR/L, BCP; Sydney Carnevale, Davis Legaspi-David; Jennifer Unck; and Michelle Versten
Touro University Nevada, School of Occupational Therapy, Henderson, NV
BACKGROUND
Congenital limb deficiency affects all aspects
of life for the child and family. Daily
activities such as dressing, participating in
school and working become complicated
tasks that may require assistance from
others. Standard prosthetic hands are
expensive and are not readily available to
growing children. Childrens prosthetic needs
are complex due to their small size, constant
growth and motivation (Zuniga et al. 2015).
Recent technological advances make it
possible to create prosthetic like hands (i.e.
Robohand) from designs available via the
Internet (Michalski & Ross, 2014; Ventola,
2014). These can be scaled and 3-D printed
at a low cost making them a viable option for
children to gain bimanual function for play
and self-care task. By engaging the affected
extremity in as much motor activity as
possible may build the childs
neuroplasticity for future control of a
myoelectric prosthesis.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY TREATMENT

OT students had the opportunity to practice
their evaluation skills, treatment planning, and
documentation skills in the context of working
with the client using a 3-D hand. The OT
students have been instrumental in helping
Hailey use the Robohand during play and ADL
activities. Her treatment plan involved
improving strength and ROM of her RUE so that
she could better open and close the Robohand.
Bimanual goals using the Robohand included:
holding on to a swing, jump roping, using her
scooter, opening up her backpack, managing
zippers, opening a carton of milk, batting, and
using a knife and fork together.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AND ENGINEERING

Occupational therapists and engineers collaborate on
different assistive technology projects to increase the
accessibility and function of people with disabilities
(Lenker & Perez, 2014) Occupational therapy and
engineering has had a long history of collaboration of
making and modifying assistive technology and mobility
devices. The originator of the Robohand recommends
that an occupational therapist is involved in the
assessment, fitting, and training of the Robohands.
Hailey has Poland Syndrome is missing part of her
right hand. The engineering department at UNLV and
occupational therapy department at Touro University
has been working with Hailey for over a year, fitting her
with Robohands, and modifying them per occupational
therapy recommendations. Ongoing therapy sessions
generated feedback for modifications to accommodate
for growth, comfort, and function in the next versions
made. Some changes included: stabilizing the Velcro
pocket to increase ease of closure, adding rubber tips to
finger, increasing string thickness for durability, and
increasing thumb space.

IMPLICATIONS
Increased OT visibility in use of
new technology and teaming with
engineers.
Improved clinical reasoning of OT
students as part of providing
therapy to a young child learning
to use a Robohand.

References available upon request

from: cynthia.lau@tun.touro.edu