User and clinician perspectives on DEKA arm: results of VA study to optimize DEKA arm.

This article summarizes feedback from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) subjects and clinicians gathered during the VA optimization study of the DEKA Arm. VA subjects and clinicians tested two DEKA Arm prototypes (second-generation [gen 2] and third-generation [gen 3]). Features of the prototypes in three configurations are described.

Do users want to receive a DEKA Arm and why? Overall findings from the Veterans Affairs Study to optimize the DEKA Arm.

Background: The purposes of this article are (1) to report on the overall desirability of the DEKA Arm by prototype and by level of prosthesis, (2) to report on user-perceived benefits of the DEKA Arm as compared to their current prostheses, and (3) to summarize user concerns about taking the device home.

Study Design: Qualitative content analysis of data from a multiple case study design.

Methods: This study utilized data from 24 upper-limb amputees fit with a Gen 2 DEKA Arm and 13 fit with a Gen 3 DEKA Arm.

The DEKA Arm: its features, functionality, and evolution during the Veterans Affairs Study to optimize the DEKA Arm.

Background And Aim: DEKA Integrated Solutions Corp. (DEKA) was charged by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency to design a prosthetic arm system that would be a dramatic improvement compared with the existing state of the art. The purpose of this article is to describe the two DEKA Arm prototypes (Gen 2 and Gen 3) used in the Veterans Affairs Study to optimize the DEKA Arm.

Controlling a multi-degree of freedom upper limb prosthesis using foot controls: user experience.

Purpose: The DEKA Arm, a pre-commercial upper limb prosthesis, funded by the DARPA Revolutionizing Prosthetics Program, offers increased degrees of freedom while requiring a large number of user control inputs to operate. To address this challenge, DEKA developed prototype foot controls. Although the concept of utilizing foot controls to operate an upper limb prosthesis has been discussed for decades, only small-sized studies have been performed and no commercial product exists.

Using virtual reality environment to facilitate training with advanced upper-limb prosthesis.

Technological advances in upper-limb prosthetic design offer dramatically increased possibilities for powered movement. The DEKA Arm system allows users 10 powered degrees of movement. Learning to control these movements by utilizing a set of motions that, in most instances, differ from those used to obtain the desired action prior to amputation is a challenge for users.