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Assisted Computer Interaction for Users with Weak Upper Limb Motion

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Neuro-Robotics

Part of the book series: Trends in Augmentation of Human Performance ((TAHP,volume 2))

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Abstract

Computer assisted therapy is one of the most promising new techniques for those suffering from physical and neurological dysfunction. As a result recently there has been a considerable body of work directed towards the development of rehabilitation and power/motion coordination systems based on assistive robotic devices [1, 2]. These devices range from manipulandums and simple power orthoses to exoskeletal systems [3–13] and aim to assist in all areas of physical therapy, for instance, to recover from different injuries, to compensate for various disabilities, or to provide motion coordination/assistance and performance evaluation [14–24]. Some of these pathological conditions such as; Parkinson’s disease, Muscular Dystrophy, Muscle Ataxia and Cerebral Palsy have symptoms such as reduced strength, restricted or irregular (jerky) movements, poor motion coordination and a continuum of impairments involving spasms and tremors. Often these physical impairments can make it difficult or impossible for sufferers to interact with computer generated environments using conventional mouse type interfaces [25, 26] limiting their scope to take advantage of developments in computer technology for work, educational, entertainment and social purposes. This has a significant impact on life and work opportunities. Assistive robotic devices may help to ameliorate these difficulties for this group. For interactions with a computer generated environment, the efficacy of various human machine interfaces such as force feedback mouse [27, 28] has been evaluated in GUI interaction tasks. Velocity dependent force feedback has been evaluated in a number of other studies to damp erratic motions [29, 30]. It has been shown that increasing the viscous damping helps to reduce the level of sudden motions but at the same time resistance to voluntary movement may occur.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Advanced Robotics (ADVR), Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT-Genova), Via Morego 30, Genova, 16163, Italy

    Nikos G. Tsagarakis Ph.D.

  2. Department of Advanced Robotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Via Morego 30, Genova, 16163, Italy

    Darwin G. Caldwell Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Nikos G. Tsagarakis Ph.D.
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  2. Darwin G. Caldwell Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Nikos G. Tsagarakis Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA

    Panagiotis Artemiadis

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Tsagarakis, N.G., Caldwell, D.G. (2014). Assisted Computer Interaction for Users with Weak Upper Limb Motion. In: Artemiadis, P. (eds) Neuro-Robotics. Trends in Augmentation of Human Performance, vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8932-5_9

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