Meet the Team
M.A.S.S. Impact is a team that consists of engineering, kinesiology and biomedical researchers from the MENRVA Research Group at Simon Fraser University. Their aim is to provide a more natural and intuitive control strategy for upper-limb prostheses with the Muscle Activity Sensor Strip (M.A.S.S.)
Current upper-limb robotic prostheses are controlled by sequential contractions of the residual muscles. This causes fatigue, limits the number of grip pattern classifications and introduces a large learning curve for the user. With the M.A.S.S., classification is done naturally and trained based on each individual’s muscle activity.
The M.A.S.S. uses machine learning algorithms to predict the pilot’s intentions. In unison with the Bebionic3 hand, this allows the pilot to choose from fourteen or more grip patterns that are all individually classified. Their objective is to demonstrate this technology at the Cybathlon to deliver seamless control of robotic prostheses.
Wade Daniel Letain – PILOT
Wade Daniel (Danny) Letain is a below elbow left arm amputee. He was injured in a workplace accident at CP Rail in 1980. Danny continued working for the railway in many positions throughout his career. After his accident, he also continued working in the ski industry as a racing coach and a ski instructor. He competed as a racer in the 1992 Winter Paralympics in Tignes, France. Recently retired, he is enjoying the challenges of instructing downhill skiing, waterskiing and barefooting to both adaptive and able-bodied athletes. Shortly after the 1992 Paralympics Danny taught skiing again and headed up the Alberta Disabled Ski Team at that time. He instructed in the winter as well as summer barefoot waterskiing.
He and his wife Elaine also enjoy many sports, including kayaking, cycling, rollerblading and skiing.
Danny heard about the Cybathlon at Barber Prosthetics in Vancouver. He was very interested in participating in the Cybathlon and hopes to continue helping adaptive people take full advantage of every opportunity in life.
Lukas-Karim Merhi – TEAM LEADER
Lukas-Karim Merhi is a Simon Fraser University alumnus, having received a B.A.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering from SFU in 2011. He continued on at SFU for a M.A.Sc. thesis, under the supervision of Dr. Marinko Sarunic. Completed in February of 2014, the title of Lukas's thesis was "Investigation of Flourescence Coherence Tomography for Optofluidic Applications".
While completing his thesis work, Lukas initiated a collaboration between SFU and IIT-Bombay. He attended IIT-B by visiting Dr. Mukherji’s group as a visiting research scholar. This initiative contributed to the establishment of a Memorandum Of Understanding between SFU and IIT-B.
In November of 2014, Lukas joined the MENRVA Laboratory under the direction of Dr. Carlo Menon. Lukas’s primary role at MENRVA involves management of the Force Myography Research Group that specializes in smart wearable technology for biomedical applications.
The Cybathlon presented an opportunity to showcase the potential of the FMG technology for seamless control of robotic prosthesis. His goal is to make it as intuitive as possible for individuals with amputations to control their prosthesis.
Brittany Pousett – CERTIFIED PROSTHETIST, HEAD OF RESEARCH AT BARBER PROSTHETICS
Brittany first became captivated by the field of Prosthetics when completing her Bachelors of Science in Biophysics at UBC. She went on to complete the P&O Program at BCIT and a Masters of Science in Rehabilitation at McMaster focusing on the application of evidence to clinical practice and the measurement and evaluation of treatment options.
She has been working as a Certified Prosthetist in Vancouver since 2014. Currently, she is the Head of Research at Barber Prosthetics Clinic where her focus is providing patient-centered care and integrating quantifiable outcome measures into the treatment process to measure patient’s progress over time. She is also involved in several research projects in collaboration with teams across North America.
Brittany brings her enthusiasm, critical thinking skills and creativity to her role as a Prosthetist and absolutely loves the part she gets to play in helping patients achieve their goals while directing the future of this field.
Dr. Carlo Menon
Prof. Carlo Menon joined the School of Engineering Science of Simon Fraser University (Canada) in 2007. Before his academic appointment, he worked in different organizations, including the European Space Agency (ESTEC, The Netherlands). Dr. Menon has published over 200 articles, filed 10 groups of patents and received numerous career awards, including those from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
