Case Study: Johns Hopkins Revolutionizing Prosthetics

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Revolutionizing Prosthetics program (RP2009) will create a fully functional (motor and sensory) upper limb that responds to direct neural control. The technology combines neuroscience, robotics, sensors, power systems, actuation, and complex embedded software to deliver a prosthetic that is far more advanced than any device currently available. The results of this program will allow upper limb amputees to have as normal a life as possible despite their severe injuries.

The Software Challenge

The Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) software team was tasked with building the embedded software component for RP2009. The software was designed with a distributed microprocessor and microcontroller architecture with two OMAP™ (Open Multimedia Application Platform) Command & Control (C&C) processor nodes; one which provides coordinated and top-level hierarchical control for the Modular Prosthetic Limb (MPL), and the other which processes patient signals and acts as the gateway for patient interface devices. These complex software systems must accept user signals for translation into limb motion and provide sensory feedback (tactile and temperature) to the patient.

"We had a very tight schedule and without Klocwork Insight, we would have had difficulty meeting our objectives on-time. Even with a relatively small development team, we estimate 900 person hours saved by using Klocwork." - Justin Thomas, APL C&C software team lead

3rd Party Information

		Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory DARPA Revolutionizing Prothetics
		DARPA Defense Sciences Office Revolutionizing Prosthetics
		DARPA-Funded Proto 2 Brings Mind Control to Prosthetics
		JHU Neuroscientist Aims to Create a Prosthetic Limb With Feeling

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