COLLABORATION BETWEEN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AND ENGINEERING: 3-D ROBOHAND INCREASES PLAY FOR A YOUNG CHILD

Cynthia Lau, PhD, OTR/L, BCP; Sydney Carnevale; Davis Legaspi-David; Jennifer Unck; and Michelle Versten
Touro University Nevada, School of Occupational Therapy, Henderson, NV
BACKGROUND
Congenital limb deficiency affects all aspects of life for
the child and family. Daily activities such as dressing,
participating in school and playing become complicated
tasks that may require assistance from others.
Standard prosthetic hands are expensive and are not
readily available to growing children. Childrens
prosthetic needs are complex due to their small size,
constant growth and motivation (Zuniga et al. 2015).
Recent technological advances make it possible to
create prostheticlike hands (i.e. Robohand) from
designs available via the Internet (Michalski & Ross,
2014; Ventola, 2014). These can be scaled and 3-D
printed at a low cost making them a viable option for
children to gain bimanual function for play and selfcare tasks. Engaging the affected extremity in as much
motor activity as possible may build the childs
neuroplasticity for future control of a myoelectric
prosthesis.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY TREATMENT

OT students had the opportunity to practice their
evaluation skills, treatment planning, and
documentation skills in the context of working with the
client using a 3-D hand. The OT students have been
instrumental in helping Hailey use the Robohand during
play and ADL activities. Her treatment plan involved
improving strength and ROM of her RUE so that she
could better open and close the Robohand. Bimanual
goals using the Robohand included: holding on to a
swing, jumping rope, using her scooter, opening up her
backpack, managing zippers, opening a carton of milk,
swinging a bat, and using a knife and fork together.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AND ENGINEERING

Occupational therapists and engineers collaborate on different
assistive technology projects to increase the accessibility and function
of people with disabilities (Lenker & Perez, 2014). Occupational
therapy and engineering have had a long history of collaboration
making and modifying assistive technology and mobility devices. The
originator of the Robohand recommends that an occupational
therapist is involved in the assessment, fitting, and training of the
Robohands. Hailey has Poland Syndrome and is missing part of her
right hand. The engineering department at UNLV and occupational
therapy department at Touro University had been working with
Hailey for over a year, fitting her with Robohands and modifying them
per occupational therapy recommendations. Ongoing therapy
sessions generated feedback for modifications to accommodate for
growth, comfort, and function in the next versions made. Some
changes included: stabilizing the Velcro pocket to increase grasp
function, adding rubber tips to fingers, increasing string thickness for
durability, and increasing thumb space.

IMPLICATIONS
Increased OT visibility in use of new
technology and teaming with engineers.
Improved clinical reasoning of OT students
as part of providing therapy to a young
child learning to use a Robohand.
References available upon request from:
cynthia.lau@tun.touro.edu