ARM / Arm Prosthesis Race
About the Team
CybaNorth consists of enthusiastic students from the University of Groningen, the University Medical Center Groningen, and the Hanzehogeschool Groningen. The students that contribute to the team come from various disciplines such as biomedical and mechanical engineering, AI, and human movement science. Most of the students work for CybaNorth next to their regular study program. Dr. Elisabeth Wilhelm, Assistant Professor in Control of Robotic Systems for Assistance and Rehabilitation, is one of the founders of CybaNorth. “The reason why we originally started the team is that our biomedical program has a strong focus on co-design and emphasises the value of interdisciplinary teams.” By joining the team, students get the chance to experience all aspects of medical device design already during their studies.
We thank our Jantina Tammes School of Digital Society, Technology and AI who supported our project with the Early Career Researcher Prize.
University of Groningen
NetherlandsUniversity Medical Center Groningen
About the Pilot
Our pilot – Bert Pot – lost his left (dominant) hand in 2006. Since then, he has always been looking for a prosthetic that supports him best in his hobbies and daily tasks. Bert Pot has competed in the Cybathlon contest before in 2016 and 2020. This competition is the first year that he will use a prosthetic made by a team of students. You can follow his experience on www.1-Handed.nl .
Bert Pot wants to show how much one still can do with a disability. Since he is very passionate about the development of hand prostheses and technology, he has joined our team. This way Bert hopes to encourage and inspire students to explore the world of technology and robotics - as contests, like the Cybathlon, are a unique and challenging experience for students, giving them a chance to explore, learn, and face the technological field hands-on. As Bert Pot is an experienced participant in the Cybathlon, he wants to see how far the world of engineering and technology has come since his last appearance in the Cybathlon 2020. On a personal note, “I want to show my granddaughter how tough her grandfather is.” Bert’s hobbies include motorcycling, which he is very passionate about, and woodworking, which he is glad to still be able to do after the loss of his hand.
About the Device
The CybaNorth Team designs a custom-made Myoelectric prosthesis. The prosthesis uses cable drives to actuate individual fingers. Furthermore, several sensors that are integrated into the hand allow us to give haptic feedback. The design of the device is split into different parts and worked on by individual students or sub-teams of students. Later all the parts have to be combined into one device which has to fulfil all requirements and wishes and be tested by the test team.