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Papers by Emanuele Gruppioni

Research paper thumbnail of An Augmented Cooperative Setting for Training the Embodiment of an Artificial Lower Limb

Research paper thumbnail of Remapping Wetness Perception in Upper Limb Amputees

Advanced intelligent systems, Jan 17, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Competitive Training in Spatial Augmented Reality for Prosthetic Leg Embodiment

2023 IEEE 11th International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health (SeGAH)

Research paper thumbnail of Soft Transfemoral Prosthetic Socket With Sensing and Augmenting Feedback: A Case Study

IEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics, 2024

In lower limb prostheses, the physical interface constituted by the socket is a crucial component... more In lower limb prostheses, the physical interface constituted by the socket is a crucial component for the device success. This work proposes a new design based on a rigid frame integrated into a silicone structure which allows for a more comfortable biomechanical coupling with the residual limb and facilitates the integration of smart technologies. This paves the way for new possibilities for prosthetic bidirectional interfaces or user health monitoring. Thus, four surface EMG sensors, three vibrotactile units, and nine temperature and humidity sensors have been integrated into the socket. These components enable the user's motor intention decoding, provide augmenting feedback, and measure the residual limb thermal condition when wearing the prosthesis. The new socket was tested on a partecipant with a transfemoral amputation. The sEMG signals were registered during five different tasks in a circuit training and the classification median accuracy of an intention decoding algorithm was found to always be higher than 73%. The user's perception of vibrotactile feedback was assessed through a psychophysical experiment and revealed vibrations from singularly activated units were the best perceived. Questionnaire results confirmed a high satisfaction level. However, tests on temperature and humidity suggest more efforts are still required in terms of skin perspiration.

Research paper thumbnail of Performance evaluations of UHF-RFID flexible antennas fully-integrated with epidermal sensor board

Bio-integrated wireless systems require to integrate electronic modules for bio-signal processing... more Bio-integrated wireless systems require to integrate electronic modules for bio-signal processing within a stretchable and soft skin-like device. The size and complexity of the PCB hosting circuitry cannot be separated from the design of the antenna used for the communication. Challenges arise when high frequencies are involved so that human body losses will deteriorate the radiation gain. This paper describes the design of a UHF-RFID epidermal antenna integrated with different types of EMG-sensor board arrangements in comparison with a benchmark configuration. The purpose is to evaluate the effect of the PCB metallization and identify the optimal antenna size. An overall 40 times40mathrmmmathrmm2\times 40\mathrm{m}\mathrm{m}^{2}times40mathrmmmathrmm2 device footprint is found to minimize the disturbing effects of the sensor circuit on the antenna performance and a read range up to 150 cm can be achieved.

Research paper thumbnail of ProMAS-6: a modular upper limb prosthesis for shoulder disarticulated patients

Research paper thumbnail of TWINMED T-SHIRT, a Smart Wearable System for ECG and EMG Monitoring for Rehabilitation with Exoskeletons

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Longitudinal Gait Analysis of a Transfemoral Amputee Patient: Single-Case Report from Socket-Type to Osseointegrated Prosthesis

Sensors, Apr 17, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Continuous Phase Estimation in a Variety of Locomotion Modes Using Adaptive Dynamic Movement Primitives

2023 International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR)

Research paper thumbnail of Decoding Upper-Limb Movement Intention Through Adaptive Dynamic Movement Primitives: A Proof-of-Concept Study with a Shoulder-Elbow Exoskeleton

2023 International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR)

Research paper thumbnail of Bactericidal Activity of Silver-Doped Chitosan Coatings via Electrophoretic Deposition on Ti6Al4V Additively Manufactured Substrates

Polymers

Prosthetic reconstruction can serve as a feasible alternative, delivering both functional and aes... more Prosthetic reconstruction can serve as a feasible alternative, delivering both functional and aesthetic benefits to individuals with hand and finger injuries, frequent causes of emergency room visits. Implant-related infections pose significant challenges in arthroplasty and osteosynthesis procedures, contributing to surgical failures. As a potential solution to this challenge, this study developed a new class of silver (Ag)-doped chitosan (CS) coatings via electrophoretic deposition (EPD) on osseointegrated prostheses for infection therapy. These coatings were successfully applied to additively manufactured Ti6Al4V ELI samples. In the initial phase, the feasibility of the composite coating was assessed using the Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) techniques. The optimized structures exhibited impressive water uptake in the range of 300–360%. Codeposition with an antibacterial agent proved effective, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used...

Research paper thumbnail of Soft transfemoral prosthetic socket with EMG sensing and augmenting feedback: a case study

Research Square (Research Square), May 19, 2023

In lower limb prostheses, the physical interface constituted by the socket is a crucial component... more In lower limb prostheses, the physical interface constituted by the socket is a crucial component for the device success. This work proposes a new design based on a rigid frame integrated into a silicone structure which allows for a more comfortable biomechanical coupling with the residual limb and facilitates the integration of smart technologies. In particular, four surface EMG sensors and three vibrotactile units have been integrated to enable a bidirectional interface able to decode the user's motor intention and provide augmenting feedback, respectively. The new socket was tested on a transfemoral amputee. The sEMG signals were registered during ve different locomotion tasks in a circuit training and the classi cation median accuracy of an intention decoding algorithm was found always higher than 73%. The user's perception of vibrotactile feedback was assessed through a psychophysical experiment of localization of single, couple or triple of stimuli. It revealed that vibrations from singularly activated units were the best perceived. Questionnaire results con rmed a high satisfaction level. However, tests on temperature and humidity within the socket suggest that more efforts are still required in terms of skin perspiration. The proposed socket paves the way to smart physical interfaces for robotic prostheses.

Research paper thumbnail of The <i>S-Finger</i>: A Synergetic Externally Powered Digit With Tactile Sensing and Feedback

IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, Jun 1, 2018

Partial hand amputation is by far the most common type of amputation worldwide. Nevertheless, reg... more Partial hand amputation is by far the most common type of amputation worldwide. Nevertheless, regardless of their potential clinical and socioeconomic impact, battery-powered partial hand prostheses, namely, powered digits, have modestly progressed so far, and very few clinical solutions are available today. Here, we present a mechanical architecture, an alternative to state-of-the-art solutions, which exploits a high efficiency, non-back drivable mechanical transmission based on a face-gear pair and a miniaturized clutch. We took inspiration from the synergetic prehension approach proposed by Childress for whole hand amputation. The finger was equipped with a myoelectric controller and a tactile sensor able to provide users with discrete event sensory feedback. Measured speed (90°/s) and force (6.5 N) of the newly dubbed S-Finger proved comparable with those of clinically available prostheses. The design demonstrated to be compact and rugged enough to undergo a clinical viability test with two partial hand amputees, fitted with custom three-fingered research prostheses using the S-Finger. The subjects successfully completed several dexterity tests and gave relevant feedback for the development of a second-generation device. These results contribute to the increasing research endeavors in the field of partial hand amputation.

Research paper thumbnail of Factors influencing the self-perceived mobility of active unilateral lower limb amputees assessed with the Prosthetic Mobility Questionnaire: a brief report

International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, Dec 26, 2022

The Prosthetic Mobility Questionnaire (PMQ 2.0) represents a reliable solution for evaluating amp... more The Prosthetic Mobility Questionnaire (PMQ 2.0) represents a reliable solution for evaluating amputees’ self-perceived mobility. The study aimed to evaluate the perceived mobility of middle-aged users with a traumatic amputation using the PMQ 2.0 and to assess the influence of age, stump and phantom limb pain, amputation level, time since amputation, and prosthesis use on it. Fifty subjects were recruited. The median value of the score was higher than previously published reference values, reflecting the ‘active’ mobility status of the sample. The hours of prosthesis use per day explained about 21% of the variance of the questionnaire score and was a significant predictor of perceived mobility. Reference values for the recently developed PMQ 2.0 survey and relative to active, traumatic amputees were reported. As prosthesis use was a significant predictor of the amputees’ perceived mobility, prolonged use of the artificial limb should be always encouraged in clinical practice.

Research paper thumbnail of Restoration of natural thermal sensation in upper-limb amputees

Science, May 19, 2023

The use of hands for gathering rich sensory information is essential for proper interaction with ... more The use of hands for gathering rich sensory information is essential for proper interaction with the environment; therefore, the restoration of sensation is critical for reestablishing the sense of embodiment in hand amputees. Here, we show that a noninvasive wearable device can be used to provide thermal sensations on amputees’ phantom hands. The device delivers thermal stimuli to specific regions of skin on their residual limb. These sensations were phenomenologically similar to those on the intact limbs and were stable over time. Using the device, the subjects could successfully exploit the thermal phantom hand maps to detect and discriminate different thermal stimuli. The use of a wearable device that provides thermal sensation can increase the sense of embodiment and improve life quality in hand amputees.

Research paper thumbnail of A Workflow for Studying the Stump–Socket Interface in Persons with Transtibial Amputation through 3D Thermographic Mapping

Sensors, May 24, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Hybrid Manufacturing of Upper-Limb Prosthesis Sockets with Improved Material Properties

Springer eBooks, 2022

Residual visual capabilities and the associated phenomenological experience can differ significan... more Residual visual capabilities and the associated phenomenological experience can differ significantly between persons with similar visual acuity and similar diagnosis. There is a substantial variance in situations and tasks that persons with low vision find challenging. Smartglasses provide the opportunity of presenting individualized visual feedback targeted to each user’s requirements. Here, we interviewed nine persons with low vision to obtain insight into their subjective perceptual experience associated with factors such as illumination, color, contrast, and movement, as well as context factors. Further, we contribute a collection of everyday activities that rely on visual perception as well as strategies participants employ in their everyday lives. We find that our participants rely on their residual vision as the dominant sense in many different everyday activities. They prefer vision to other modalities if they can perceive the information visually, which highlights the need for assistive devices with visual feedback.

Research paper thumbnail of Synergistic effect of phase change materials and reduced graphene oxide in enhancing the thermoregulating properties of polymeric composites

Journal of Materials Science, Dec 14, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Uneven Terrain Recognition Using Neuromorphic Haptic Feedback

Sensors, May 6, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of A magnetic endourethral sphincter against stress urinary incontinence: preliminary pilot study in humans

Minerva urology and nephrology, Aug 1, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of An Augmented Cooperative Setting for Training the Embodiment of an Artificial Lower Limb

Research paper thumbnail of Remapping Wetness Perception in Upper Limb Amputees

Advanced intelligent systems, Jan 17, 2024

Research paper thumbnail of Competitive Training in Spatial Augmented Reality for Prosthetic Leg Embodiment

2023 IEEE 11th International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health (SeGAH)

Research paper thumbnail of Soft Transfemoral Prosthetic Socket With Sensing and Augmenting Feedback: A Case Study

IEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics, 2024

In lower limb prostheses, the physical interface constituted by the socket is a crucial component... more In lower limb prostheses, the physical interface constituted by the socket is a crucial component for the device success. This work proposes a new design based on a rigid frame integrated into a silicone structure which allows for a more comfortable biomechanical coupling with the residual limb and facilitates the integration of smart technologies. This paves the way for new possibilities for prosthetic bidirectional interfaces or user health monitoring. Thus, four surface EMG sensors, three vibrotactile units, and nine temperature and humidity sensors have been integrated into the socket. These components enable the user's motor intention decoding, provide augmenting feedback, and measure the residual limb thermal condition when wearing the prosthesis. The new socket was tested on a partecipant with a transfemoral amputation. The sEMG signals were registered during five different tasks in a circuit training and the classification median accuracy of an intention decoding algorithm was found to always be higher than 73%. The user's perception of vibrotactile feedback was assessed through a psychophysical experiment and revealed vibrations from singularly activated units were the best perceived. Questionnaire results confirmed a high satisfaction level. However, tests on temperature and humidity suggest more efforts are still required in terms of skin perspiration.

Research paper thumbnail of Performance evaluations of UHF-RFID flexible antennas fully-integrated with epidermal sensor board

Bio-integrated wireless systems require to integrate electronic modules for bio-signal processing... more Bio-integrated wireless systems require to integrate electronic modules for bio-signal processing within a stretchable and soft skin-like device. The size and complexity of the PCB hosting circuitry cannot be separated from the design of the antenna used for the communication. Challenges arise when high frequencies are involved so that human body losses will deteriorate the radiation gain. This paper describes the design of a UHF-RFID epidermal antenna integrated with different types of EMG-sensor board arrangements in comparison with a benchmark configuration. The purpose is to evaluate the effect of the PCB metallization and identify the optimal antenna size. An overall 40 times40mathrmmmathrmm2\times 40\mathrm{m}\mathrm{m}^{2}times40mathrmmmathrmm2 device footprint is found to minimize the disturbing effects of the sensor circuit on the antenna performance and a read range up to 150 cm can be achieved.

Research paper thumbnail of ProMAS-6: a modular upper limb prosthesis for shoulder disarticulated patients

Research paper thumbnail of TWINMED T-SHIRT, a Smart Wearable System for ECG and EMG Monitoring for Rehabilitation with Exoskeletons

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2023

Research paper thumbnail of Longitudinal Gait Analysis of a Transfemoral Amputee Patient: Single-Case Report from Socket-Type to Osseointegrated Prosthesis

Sensors, Apr 17, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Continuous Phase Estimation in a Variety of Locomotion Modes Using Adaptive Dynamic Movement Primitives

2023 International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR)

Research paper thumbnail of Decoding Upper-Limb Movement Intention Through Adaptive Dynamic Movement Primitives: A Proof-of-Concept Study with a Shoulder-Elbow Exoskeleton

2023 International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR)

Research paper thumbnail of Bactericidal Activity of Silver-Doped Chitosan Coatings via Electrophoretic Deposition on Ti6Al4V Additively Manufactured Substrates

Polymers

Prosthetic reconstruction can serve as a feasible alternative, delivering both functional and aes... more Prosthetic reconstruction can serve as a feasible alternative, delivering both functional and aesthetic benefits to individuals with hand and finger injuries, frequent causes of emergency room visits. Implant-related infections pose significant challenges in arthroplasty and osteosynthesis procedures, contributing to surgical failures. As a potential solution to this challenge, this study developed a new class of silver (Ag)-doped chitosan (CS) coatings via electrophoretic deposition (EPD) on osseointegrated prostheses for infection therapy. These coatings were successfully applied to additively manufactured Ti6Al4V ELI samples. In the initial phase, the feasibility of the composite coating was assessed using the Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) techniques. The optimized structures exhibited impressive water uptake in the range of 300–360%. Codeposition with an antibacterial agent proved effective, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used...

Research paper thumbnail of Soft transfemoral prosthetic socket with EMG sensing and augmenting feedback: a case study

Research Square (Research Square), May 19, 2023

In lower limb prostheses, the physical interface constituted by the socket is a crucial component... more In lower limb prostheses, the physical interface constituted by the socket is a crucial component for the device success. This work proposes a new design based on a rigid frame integrated into a silicone structure which allows for a more comfortable biomechanical coupling with the residual limb and facilitates the integration of smart technologies. In particular, four surface EMG sensors and three vibrotactile units have been integrated to enable a bidirectional interface able to decode the user's motor intention and provide augmenting feedback, respectively. The new socket was tested on a transfemoral amputee. The sEMG signals were registered during ve different locomotion tasks in a circuit training and the classi cation median accuracy of an intention decoding algorithm was found always higher than 73%. The user's perception of vibrotactile feedback was assessed through a psychophysical experiment of localization of single, couple or triple of stimuli. It revealed that vibrations from singularly activated units were the best perceived. Questionnaire results con rmed a high satisfaction level. However, tests on temperature and humidity within the socket suggest that more efforts are still required in terms of skin perspiration. The proposed socket paves the way to smart physical interfaces for robotic prostheses.

Research paper thumbnail of The <i>S-Finger</i>: A Synergetic Externally Powered Digit With Tactile Sensing and Feedback

IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, Jun 1, 2018

Partial hand amputation is by far the most common type of amputation worldwide. Nevertheless, reg... more Partial hand amputation is by far the most common type of amputation worldwide. Nevertheless, regardless of their potential clinical and socioeconomic impact, battery-powered partial hand prostheses, namely, powered digits, have modestly progressed so far, and very few clinical solutions are available today. Here, we present a mechanical architecture, an alternative to state-of-the-art solutions, which exploits a high efficiency, non-back drivable mechanical transmission based on a face-gear pair and a miniaturized clutch. We took inspiration from the synergetic prehension approach proposed by Childress for whole hand amputation. The finger was equipped with a myoelectric controller and a tactile sensor able to provide users with discrete event sensory feedback. Measured speed (90°/s) and force (6.5 N) of the newly dubbed S-Finger proved comparable with those of clinically available prostheses. The design demonstrated to be compact and rugged enough to undergo a clinical viability test with two partial hand amputees, fitted with custom three-fingered research prostheses using the S-Finger. The subjects successfully completed several dexterity tests and gave relevant feedback for the development of a second-generation device. These results contribute to the increasing research endeavors in the field of partial hand amputation.

Research paper thumbnail of Factors influencing the self-perceived mobility of active unilateral lower limb amputees assessed with the Prosthetic Mobility Questionnaire: a brief report

International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, Dec 26, 2022

The Prosthetic Mobility Questionnaire (PMQ 2.0) represents a reliable solution for evaluating amp... more The Prosthetic Mobility Questionnaire (PMQ 2.0) represents a reliable solution for evaluating amputees’ self-perceived mobility. The study aimed to evaluate the perceived mobility of middle-aged users with a traumatic amputation using the PMQ 2.0 and to assess the influence of age, stump and phantom limb pain, amputation level, time since amputation, and prosthesis use on it. Fifty subjects were recruited. The median value of the score was higher than previously published reference values, reflecting the ‘active’ mobility status of the sample. The hours of prosthesis use per day explained about 21% of the variance of the questionnaire score and was a significant predictor of perceived mobility. Reference values for the recently developed PMQ 2.0 survey and relative to active, traumatic amputees were reported. As prosthesis use was a significant predictor of the amputees’ perceived mobility, prolonged use of the artificial limb should be always encouraged in clinical practice.

Research paper thumbnail of Restoration of natural thermal sensation in upper-limb amputees

Science, May 19, 2023

The use of hands for gathering rich sensory information is essential for proper interaction with ... more The use of hands for gathering rich sensory information is essential for proper interaction with the environment; therefore, the restoration of sensation is critical for reestablishing the sense of embodiment in hand amputees. Here, we show that a noninvasive wearable device can be used to provide thermal sensations on amputees’ phantom hands. The device delivers thermal stimuli to specific regions of skin on their residual limb. These sensations were phenomenologically similar to those on the intact limbs and were stable over time. Using the device, the subjects could successfully exploit the thermal phantom hand maps to detect and discriminate different thermal stimuli. The use of a wearable device that provides thermal sensation can increase the sense of embodiment and improve life quality in hand amputees.

Research paper thumbnail of A Workflow for Studying the Stump–Socket Interface in Persons with Transtibial Amputation through 3D Thermographic Mapping

Sensors, May 24, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Hybrid Manufacturing of Upper-Limb Prosthesis Sockets with Improved Material Properties

Springer eBooks, 2022

Residual visual capabilities and the associated phenomenological experience can differ significan... more Residual visual capabilities and the associated phenomenological experience can differ significantly between persons with similar visual acuity and similar diagnosis. There is a substantial variance in situations and tasks that persons with low vision find challenging. Smartglasses provide the opportunity of presenting individualized visual feedback targeted to each user’s requirements. Here, we interviewed nine persons with low vision to obtain insight into their subjective perceptual experience associated with factors such as illumination, color, contrast, and movement, as well as context factors. Further, we contribute a collection of everyday activities that rely on visual perception as well as strategies participants employ in their everyday lives. We find that our participants rely on their residual vision as the dominant sense in many different everyday activities. They prefer vision to other modalities if they can perceive the information visually, which highlights the need for assistive devices with visual feedback.

Research paper thumbnail of Synergistic effect of phase change materials and reduced graphene oxide in enhancing the thermoregulating properties of polymeric composites

Journal of Materials Science, Dec 14, 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Uneven Terrain Recognition Using Neuromorphic Haptic Feedback

Sensors, May 6, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of A magnetic endourethral sphincter against stress urinary incontinence: preliminary pilot study in humans

Minerva urology and nephrology, Aug 1, 2023