Scientists at the University of Manchester are using 3D computer graphics to combat the pain suffered by amputees.
Academics from the
The computer system created by Dr Stephen Pettifer and Toby Howard of the
By putting on a headset, patients will see themselves with two limbs. They can use their remaining physical limb to control the movements of a computer-generated limb, which appears in the 3D computer-generated world in the space of their amputated limb.
So for example, they can use their physical right arm to control the movement of their virtual left arm.
Patients have complex hand-eye coordination and can move their fingers, hands, arms, feet and legs. They can also use their virtual limb to play ball games.
Phantom limb pain or PLP is discomfort felt by a person in a limb that is missing due to amputation. Previous research has found that when a person’s brain is ‘tricked’ into believing they can see and move a ‘phantom limb’, pain can decrease.
So far, five patients living in the
But this initial project has produced important results, with four out of the five patients reporting improvement in their phantom limb pain. Some improvements were almost immediate.
The
Dr Stephen Pettifer, of the
‘It's very satisfying being able apply the same technology to something that may have a real positive impact on someone's health and well being.’
Project leader, Dr Craig Murray of the
‘One patient felt that the fingers of her amputated hand were continually clenched into her palm, which was very painful for her. However, after just one session using the virtual system she began to feel movement in her fingers and the pain began to ease.’
Each participant used the system between seven and 10 times over the course of two to three months. Sessions lasted around 30 minutes and involved putting on a special virtual reality headset.
Upper-limb amputees were fitted with a special data glove and had sensors attached to the elbow and wrist joints. Sensors were fitted to the knee and ankle joints of lower-limb amputees. Head and arm movements were also monitored.
The three men and two women who took part in the study were aged between 56 and 65. The group included three arm amputees and two leg amputees, who had lost limbs between one and 40 years ago.
The
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