The project results and prototype of the MAProHand were presented during a conference held at Esplora, which was attended by Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation Keith Azzopardi Tanti.
MAProHand, the development of the mechanical and control framework for a Minimal Anthropomorphic Prosthetic Hand is a project which was the fruition of the collaboration of three departments from the University of Malta; namely the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the Department of Systems and Control Engineering and the Department of Artificial Intelligence, who partnered with the Orthopaedic Centre Malta Ltd to develop a commercial prosthetic hand.
The project received around €200,000 in funds under the R & I Fusion Fund of the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST). Apart from enabling the development of the hand to be carried out in a short period of time, it enabled the consortium to employ full-time researchers to carry out all the detailed analytical and developmental work that is needed to carry out work for a project of this complexity.
Parliamentary Secretary Keith Azzopardi Tanti welcomed this project, stating that research conducted in Malta such as this can also leave a great impact in other countries. “We are working towards improving the research conducted in Malta. The government already offers many schemes and funding opportunities to enhance local research and collaborations with other countries. However, we will continue building more opportunities for the local industry to conduct their own research and expand their operations.”
Whilst commending the departments within the University of Malta that were involved in the project, Parliamentary Secretary Azzopardi Tanti also commended MCST for playing a key role in the research industry in Malta by offering grants and professional assistance for projects that can be fruitful to many.
Chairman of MCST Dr Tonio Portughese stated that, “MCST strongly believes in the importance of investment in research and innovation as one of the means to create and diversify economic activity in order to generate economic wealth. The formation of consortia, such as that driving this project, with the various players contributing to the multi-faceted approach needed, are not just useful, but essential.” He added that when public and private entities cooperate and collaborate in a two-directional transfer of knowledge and effort, sharing both human and material resources in synergy with each other, they can result in an optimal achievement of the desired goals.
Prof. Michael A. Saliba, Project Leader of MAProHand, said, “We are extremely pleased with the results obtained, in particular that a prosthetic hand with only a small number of joints, if designed correctly, can perform most of the functions of the human non-dominant hand in everyday activities.”
