# 3D Printed Prostheses for Children: A Tool to Monitor Upper Limb Movement

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA OMAHA · 2020 · $57,016

## Abstract

By the year 2050, it is expected that 3.6 million people will have upper limb amputations. Despite the increase
in functionality provided by prostheses, a recent study found that 45% of children with upper limb deficiencies
reject their prosthetic device. There is a critical need to determine quantitative parameters to assess prosthesis
usage and movement variability to provide the fundamental information required to objectively quantify
prosthesis usage and associated benefits. Additionally, the literature which describes training paradigms and
behavioral interventions for children with congenital upper limb deficiencies is sparse.
Training paradigms for acquired amputees and stroke survivors focus on inter-limb transfer paradigms to transfer
motor repertoires from the non-affected limb to the affected limb. This dynamic approach provides useful tools
for the assessment of limb coordination and associated variability especially when examining inter-limb
coordination and gross manual dexterity.
Thus, the purpose of this project is to assess temporal synchrony of hand movement and gross manual dexterity
after completing an 8-week home intervention. We hypothesized that bimanual coordination will significantly
increase temporal synchrony of hand movement and there will be an increase in unilateral gross manual dexterity
after the completion of an 8-week home intervention.
Specific aim #1: Determine the differences temporal synchrony of hand movement and gross manual dexterity
in children with unilateral congenital partial limb loss and a control group. We will analyze a subgroup of 10
research participants already enrolled in the parent grant. Specifically, two groups of children between 7 and 12
years of age.; children with unilateral congenital upper-limb reductions (n=5) and an age-and sex-matched
control group of typically developing children (n=5).
Specific aim #2: Determine changes in temporal synchrony of hand movement and gross manual dexterity after
an 8-week home intervention.
Research participants will be asked to attend a total of 3 sessions (one measurement session, and two testing
sessions) following the protocol of the parent grant. Children will attend an initial measurement session to take
a 3D scan of the affected and non-affected upper limbs as well as several anthropometric measurements. During
this session, three pictures of the upper limbs will be taken which will also be used to verify the fit the prostheses
in a process previously validated by our research team.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10108701
- **Project number:** 3R01NS114282-01S2
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA OMAHA
- **Principal Investigator:** Brian Andrew Knarr
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $57,016
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10108701

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10108701, 3D Printed Prostheses for Children: A Tool to Monitor Upper Limb Movement (3R01NS114282-01S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10108701. Licensed CC0.

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