Powered Upper Limb Prostheses deals with the concept, implementation and clinical application of utilizing inherent electrical signals within normally innervated residual muscles under voluntary control of an upper limb amputee. This amplifies these signals by battery-powered electrical means to make a terminal device, the prosthetic hand, move to perform intended function. The reader is introduced to various facets of upper limb amputations and their clinical management in both children and adults. The authors from Canada, USA and Great Britain are well known practicioners, academics and researchers in the field. The book has over 130 illustrations and contains an extensive bibliography.

The U.S. Census Bureau has reported that 56.7 million Americans had some type of disability in 2010, which represents 18.7 percent of the civilian noninstitutionalized population included in the 2010 Survey of Income and Program Participation. The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) provides disability benefits through the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. As of December 2015, approximately 11 million individuals were SSDI beneficiaries, and about 8 million were SSI beneficiaries. SSA currently considers assistive devices in the nonmedical and medical areas of its program guidelines. During determinations of substantial gainful activity and income eligibility for SSI benefits, the reasonable cost of items, devices, or services applicants need to enable them to work with their impairment is subtracted from eligible earnings, even if those items or services are used for activities of daily living in addition to work. In addition, SSA considers assistive devices in its medical disability determination process and assessment of work capacity. The Promise of Assistive Technology to Enhance Activity and Work Participation provides an analysis of selected assistive products and technologies, including wheeled and seated mobility devices, upper-extremity prostheses, and products and technologies selected by the committee that pertain to hearing and to communication and speech in adults.

Powered Prostheses: Design, Control, and Clinical Applications presents the state-of-the-art in design, control and application of assistive technologies used in rehabilitation, including powered prostheses used in lower and upper extremity amputees and orthosis used in the rehabilitation of various joint disorders. The progress made in this field over the last decade is so vast that any new researcher in this field will have to spend years digesting the main achievements and challenges that remain. This book provides a comprehensive vision of advances, along with the challenges that remain on the path to the development of true bionic technology. Describes the latest assistive technologies that can help individuals deal with joint pain or limb loss Presents a tangible and intuitive description of scientific achievements made Highlights the existing technologies and devices that are available and used by amputees or patients with mobility limitations Suggests solutions and new results that can further enhance assistive technologies

Making Hands: The Design and Use of Upper Extremity Prosthetics provides a historical account of the development of upper extremity prostheses. It describes different aspects surrounding the development of key elements of mechanisms and control, for prosthetic hands and arms, and includes biographical sketches of some key contributors. The field is broad and uses knowledge from a wide range of disciplines. Sections cover the background to give researchers and professionals what they need to learn about adjacent fields. The author's expertise on the control of prostheses makes this a very comprehensive resource on the topic. Covers research and technological innovation in the development of upper limb prostheses Introduces upper limb prosthetics from the different perspectives of biology, engineering, clinical practice and industry Discusses innovations of the recent decades, rapid manufacture, the 'citizen engineer', and how these things may shape prosthetics in the future

"The technological level of upper limb prostheses has always been fairly poor so far if compared with that of other analogous systems (e.g. lower limb prostheses, assistive robots). However, there is no doubt that in the recent years the upper limb researc"