Real-time cortical adaptation monitoring system for prosthetic rehabilitation based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy

Prosthetics and rehabilitation for people with disabilities can benefit from new and reliable robotics technologies. This study investigates the reactions of the brain to adaptable robotics technologies for amputees by using adaptable computation of biological signals and robotic devices with large degrees of freedom. In the proposed system, the activity of the cortical region when using a prosthetic hand controlled by electromyogram (EMG) is measured in real time by functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The prosthesis has a learning function that can recognize the EMG pattern. The key topic of this study is the mutual adaptation of a human and an adaptable robotic hand. This adaptation is analyzed with fNIRS to clarify the plasticity of the motor sensory areas and frontal area of the cortex with a change in prosthesis under visual feedback. The experiment is designed as a pick-and-place task using an EMG prosthetic hand. The experimental results show that the plasticity of the brain promotes the effect of rehabilitation and helps the use of prosthetic devices.