IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2015 - 72
appropriation and use of technical objects created to
interact with the body. These social and cultural phenomena influence the use of the devices as much as,
or even more than, the devices technical performance.
Considering complementary points of view and theories in the design of such devices could be a way of
improving their appropriation.
Huge Increase in Availability
of Prosthetic Devices
There is currently an explosion in the number of devices
being developed for interaction with the human body,
especially in the field of robotics. This is reflected in the
recent increase in the number of publications in the field
of physical human robot interaction (pHRi) [1]. This activity results from several recent technological advances
in control techniques and sensor technology that, for
example, allow devices to be more sensitive to the actions
of the user. It is also due to the introduction of compliant
mechanisms using variable impedance actuators (VIA), or
software-based elasticity generated by the control mechanism, in robotic structures [2]. These developments have
led to a matching of the physical and motor characteristics
of robots with those of the human body, making the robots
safer and therefore promoting the development of closer
How do socio-anthropological and
cultural phenomena influence the
appropriation of technical objects
interacting with the body?
physical exchanges. There are numerous fields of application in which technological devices interact "on," "with,"
"against," or "inside" the body: e.g., surgery, rehabilitation,
substitution, and assistance (see Figure 1 (a)-(e) for illustrative examples), whether it is for people with partial loss of
motor skills, or to increase the physical capacity of healthy
subjects (generally for strength or endurance).
Relationships between the body, techniques, and
technology2 have always been a fundamental topic
of research in the humanities and social sciences,
especially in the field of anthropology of technology.
2
Contrary to in other languages, in English there is usually no distinction
between the word "technique" and "technology." Nevertheless, in the field of
humanities a distinction is generally made between technical objects (e./g.,
a tool), the technique (or technical process, e.g., the knowledge and method
required to use a tool), and the technology which is the logical study of both
technical objects and techniques [8].
72
This field encompasses the history, purpose, and roles
(whether they are real, symbolic, mythological, or religious) of technical objects. One of the aims of this
field, which developed from the study of the process of
human evolution through the use of tools, is to study
the relationship between human beings and the tools
and techniques they have created, as well as the impact
that these tools or techniques may have on the process
of civilization and the creation of culture.
Historically focused on the study of prehistoric civilizations, anthropology has naturally been interested in
so-called "primitive cultures," which generally developed
civilizations and levels of technical and symbolic sophistication similar to our contemporary occidental civilization.
The same tools and approaches initially developed for
the study of primitive peoples are now used by anthropologists to study contemporary civilizations. Therefore,
for example, the relationship between a surgeon and the
particular tools he/she uses [8] can be studied in the same
way as the relationship between a prehistoric man and his
biface and other flint objects, or the Baruya tribe (Papua
New Guinea) and their axes [9]. However, the anthropology
of technology is not limited to the study of "extraordinary"
objects and the specific expertise they require, confining
their use to a small fringe of the human population. It
also considers common "everyday life" technical objects.
Anthropologists therefore study relationships with, and
symbolic aspects of, objects for which the technological
aspect is not the main feature: this could include blue
jeans [10], a fork [11], or of course, the new information
and communications technology (NICT) devices [12], particularly their relationship with human body.
The focus of this article is on the specific example
of functional robotic upper-limb prosthetics. The purpose is to emphasize the complexity and diversity of
socio-anthropological and cultural phenomena that
affect the appropriation and use of technical objects
interacting with the body. The second objective is to
highlight how appropriation of prosthetics may be
improved if technical staff (engineers and researchers)
considered these concepts and theories during the
design stages of the devices.
Amputation and Upper-Limb Prosthetics
Upper-Limb Amputation and Prostheses
People, especially young, active persons, who are disabled following an acquired or congenital amputation
of an upper limb, are usually fitted with an external
prosthesis, or "orthoprosthesis," [13]. The primary etiologies which lead to surgical amputation are trauma (road
traffic accidents, accidents at work, or war injuries),
malignant tumors, vascular accidents or infections, and
diabetes [14]. Whatever the cause of the amputation,
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine
∕
june 2015
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