Advancing Practical Use of Robotic Prosthetic Arms... Development of Inspection Equipment 5.1 Times Faster

Dr. Donghyun Hwang Research Team at KIST

Depth of Field Enhancement Device Diagram
Depth of field enhancement device. It consists of two different optical fibers. The two optical fibers have different core sizes, which are the paths through which light passes, resulting in two output lights separated within the optical fibers. After passing through the imaging device, the two output lights create two focal points, which effectively increase the overall depth of field. Illustration and description provided by KIST.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] Domestic researchers have developed a technology that can quickly identify the cause of functional degradation in robotic prosthetic hands without peripheral nerve examination.

The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced on the 28th that Dr. Donghyun Hwang's research team at the Intelligent Robotics Research Division developed a three-dimensional imaging device that can instantly assess the implantation status of nerve electrodes inserted into peripheral nerves without tissue detection.

Peripheral nerve interface-based robotic prosthetic hands, which allow patients with amputated hands or arms to move as they intend and transmit tactile sensations sensed by the robotic hand back to the patient, have recently gained attention. However, nerve electrodes are surgically implanted into the patient's peripheral nerves, and the functionality and long-term usability of the robotic prosthetic system vary significantly depending on the implantation status of the electrodes. To identify the cause of functional degradation, a peripheral nerve tissue biopsy must be performed. This method takes a long time, making it difficult to immediately identify and respond to the cause.

The research team applied optical coherence tomography technology to develop an imaging device capable of producing three-dimensional high-resolution images that show the implantation status of electrodes inserted into peripheral nerves with a resolution of less than 5μm (micrometers), visualizing fine tissue structures such as nerve fibers and blood vessels inside peripheral nerves smaller than 10μm.

Previously, resolutions of 20?30μm made it difficult to observe fine structures inside peripheral nerves, and attempts to develop higher resolution devices resulted in shallow depth of focus, preventing observation of deep fine structures within peripheral nerves. However, the research team implemented a technology that improves the depth of focus by up to 5.1 times compared to existing devices by joining two different optical fibers. The two output lights separated by the two optical fibers pass through the imaging device, creating two focal points and effectively increasing the overall depth of focus. The team successfully implanted a fine metal wire mimicking a nerve electrode into the peripheral nerves of a living rat and observed it in three-dimensional images using the developed imaging device.

Dr. Donghyun Hwang of KIST stated, “This technology can be utilized in various research fields such as robotic prosthetics implanted in peripheral nerves and neuroscience, potentially revolutionizing peripheral nerve interface research methods. With further research applying this to human peripheral nerves, it is expected to contribute to advancing the practical use of robotic prosthetics that move and feel as intended.”

The research results were recently published online in the international journal Advanced Science (IF 16.806, JCR top 5.24%) and are scheduled to be featured as a cover paper (inside back cover).

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