{"id":4385,"date":"2022-04-18T20:28:45","date_gmt":"2022-04-18T20:28:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/research\/?post_type=research_project&p=4385"},"modified":"2025-04-15T04:44:25","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T04:44:25","slug":"new-clinical-research-will-test-brains-ability-to-adapt-to-advanced-bionic-limbs","status":"publish","type":"research_project","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/research\/research-project\/new-clinical-research-will-test-brains-ability-to-adapt-to-advanced-bionic-limbs\/","title":{"rendered":"New Clinical Research Will Test Brain\u2019s Ability to Adapt to Advanced Bionic Limbs"},"content":{"rendered":"

New Clinical Research Will Test Brain\u2019s Ability to Adapt to Advanced Bionic Limbs<\/h2>\n
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The research, led by Limbitless Solutions, Wolfson Children\u2019s Hospital of Jacksonville and Nemours Children\u2019s Health, Jacksonville, aims to improve prosthetic mastery in children born without limbs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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By Robert Wells\u00a0|<\/span>\u00a0March 14, 2022<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Anew, first-of-its-kind clinical trial will examine how the brain adapts to advanced, bionic arms in children born without a limb, with the ultimate goal of improving children\u2019s control of their prosthetic.<\/p>\n

The work, which starts this spring, will be led by\u00a0Limbitless Solutions<\/a>, a nonprofit, direct support organization at the University of Central Florida,\u00a0Wolfson Children\u2019s Hospital of Jacksonville<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Nemours Children\u2019s Health, Jacksonville<\/a>. The joint effort brings together expertise from pediatric research, neuroradiology, and bionics.<\/p>\n

Approximately four babies in every 10,000 are born missing a limb, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prosthetics can be a supportive tool for children to perform everyday activities, but little is known about how the brain responds to the addition of an artificial limb.<\/p>\n

\u201cLimited research has been conducted on how the brain\u2019s motor cortex structure changes from congenital\u00a0limb loss and subsequent\u00a0use of a prosthetic,\u201d says\u00a0Albert Manero, \u201912 \u201914MS \u201916PhD<\/strong>, executive director and co-founder of Limbitless Solutions.<\/p>\n

The four-month clinical trial will examine if Limbitless\u2019 prosthetic \u2014 paired with its\u00a0custom training video game<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 will impact the motor control center of the brain. Researchers will closely monitor any changes in the signals the brain sends to the muscle groups that direct the bionics\u2019 movement.<\/p>\n

They will do this using advanced functional magnetic resonance imaging techniques before and after prosthetic use and training. Additionally, researchers will use a method known as tractography \u2014 where MRI scans visualize the nerve pathways \u2014 to identify new or more robust pathways resulting from the training.<\/p>\n

The study is unique because it combines advanced imaging techniques with novel prosthetics and video-game-based training to evaluate motor cortex engagement.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt may provide new insight to how the brain\u2019s motor cortex adapts to learning how to use our organic, or robotic, limbs,\u201d Manero says.<\/p>\n

Manero will lead the research\u00a0study on the Limbitless side as the investigator along with other UCF staff and faculty. Chetan Shah,\u00a0<\/strong>chair of radiology at Nemours Children\u2019s Health, Jacksonville, Florida, and based at Wolfson Children\u2019s Hospital of Jacksonville, will lead the imaging work.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis research will help us see how the brain responds to the child\u2019s newly acquired ability to use a prosthetic hand,\u201d Dr. Shah says. \u201cThis is a novel way of using existing brain circuits to use an artificial limb, and most importantly, this is a life-changing device for a child both mentally and physically. We are extremely enthusiastic about this research.\u201d<\/p>\n

Limbitless Solutions, which Manero co-founded as a graduate student at UCF along with\u00a0John<\/strong>\u00a0Sparkman \u201913 \u201915MS<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Dominique Courbin \u201918<\/strong>, specializes in developing advanced, muscle-based biosensing technology, such as bionic limbs, to empower children and adults in the limb-different community.<\/p>\n

The customized prosthetics they create are 3D printed and can be paired with a parent\u2019s smart phone. The devices even charge like a cell phone, via USB type C.<\/p>\n

The exteriors of the devices are artistically designed and customized, with input from each participant. Existing muscles in the residual part of a limb are used to control their function, which is triggered by a person\u2019s own muscle flex.<\/p>\n

In 2016, Limbitless and faculty members\u00a0Matt Dombrowski<\/strong>\u00a0\u201908MFA<\/strong>\u00a0with\u00a0UCF\u2019s School of Visual Arts and Design\u00a0and\u00a0Peter Smith<\/strong>\u00a0\u201905MS \u201912PhD\u00a0<\/strong>with\u00a0UCF\u2019s Nicholson School of Communication and Media\u00a0created\u00a0video games to train children\u2019s muscles in anticipation of receiving bionic arms<\/a>. These video games will be leveraged in the trial to support training for the use of the prosthetic limb.<\/p>\n

Limbitless Solutions believes no person with a limb difference should be financially burdened to have a bionic arm and plans to provide prosthetics and training systems for the study free of charge.<\/p>\n

To learn more about the program and to submit an application to receive information about the study, families are asked to apply here:\u00a0<\/strong>trials.limbitless-solutions.org<\/strong><\/a>. The study is for children ages 9 to 12, and a maximum of five patients will be enrolled in the pilot study.<\/strong><\/p>\n

About Limbitless Solutions<\/strong><\/p>\n

Limbitless Solutions is a nonprofit and direct support organization at UCF dedicated to empowering children and adults in the limb difference community. Through personalized, creative, and expressive bionics – provided without financial burden – the team uses innovative technology and interdisciplinary collaboration to develop muscle-based biosensing technology (multi-gesture bionic arms, a hands-free wheelchair control device and interactive video game training).<\/p>\n

Undergraduate students from various academic perspectives engage in project-based learning, professional development and research experiences where students put academics into practice in an environment focused on making a difference, as well as professional and technical development.<\/p>\n

Previous clinical trials of Limbitless Solutions technology have included examining the\u00a0functionality of the bionic arms and their effect on quality of life<\/a>, the\u00a0effectiveness of video-game-based training<\/a>, and the\u00a0ability of a hands-free wheelchair control device to improve independent mobility and quality of life<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Manero received his\u00a0doctoral degree<\/a>\u00a0in mechanical engineering and his\u00a0master\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0bachelor\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0degrees in aerospace engineering from UCF. He joined UCF\u2019s Office of\u00a0Research<\/a>\u00a0in 2017, and holds courtesy research appointments in UCF\u2019s\u00a0Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department\u00a0in the\u00a0College of Engineering and Computer Science<\/a>, Mayo Clinic\u2019s Neurology department, and Veterans Affairs Orlando Healthcare System. He is also a member of UCF\u2019s\u00a0Biionix<\/a>\u00a0research cluster.<\/p>\n

About Wolfson Children\u2019s Hospital of Jacksonville<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wolfson Children\u2019s Hospital\u00a0in Jacksonville, Florida, is a part of\u00a0Baptist Health, Northeast Florida\u2019s most comprehensive health system serving every stage of life. Wolfson Children\u2019s is the only children\u2019s hospital in Northeast Florida and serves as the pediatric referral center for North Florida, South Georgia and beyond. Staffed 24\/7 by pediatric nurses and other healthcare professionals specially trained to work with children, the 216-bed, patient- and family-centered hospital features the latest pediatric medical technology in a welcoming, child-friendly environment. At Wolfson Children\u2019s, nationally recognized pediatric specialists representing nearly every medical and surgical specialty work with pediatricians to provide care for children of all ages with congenital heart conditions, cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes and endocrinology disorders, orthopedic conditions, behavioral health conditions, traumatic injuries, and more. Wolfson Children\u2019s pediatric institutional partners include\u00a0Nemours Children\u2019s Specialty Care, Jacksonville,\u00a0UPMC Children\u2019s Hospital of Pittsburgh, the\u00a0University of Florida College of Medicine \u2014 Jacksonville\u00a0and\u00a0Mayo Clinic Florida. A Magnet-designated hospital since 2010, Wolfson Children\u2019s Hospital has been named among the\u00a0U.S. News & World Report<\/em>\u00a050 Best Children\u2019s Hospitals year after year, and in 2021, was selected as one of only eight children\u2019s hospitals in the country as a Leapfrog Top Children\u2019s Hospital, a recognition of patient quality and safety.\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"New Clinical Research Will Test Brain\u2019s Ability to Adapt to Advanced Bionic Limbs The research, led by Limbitless Solutions, Wolfson Children\u2019s Hospital of Jacksonville and Nemours Children\u2019s Health, Jacksonville, aims to improve prosthetic mastery in children born without limbs. 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