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Development of computer-based environment for simulating the voluntary upper-limb movements of persons with disability

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Abstract

Upper-limb orthotic systems have been designed for restoring the upperlimb functions of individuals with disabilities resulting from spinal cord injury (SCI), stroke and muscular dystrophy. These systems employ either functional electrical stimulation or external power. It is proposed that, instead of time-consuming and complicated monitoring using sensors and motion analysis, a software simulator with both angular displacement and acceleration parameters can facilitate the design of a control strategy for an orthosis. Reaching movements of three cervical SCI subjects are used to verify the simulator. A motion analysis system is used to measure the range of motion and joint angles during hand reaching. Results indicate that quaternion and spline curve techniques are suitable for interpolation of the hand reaching movements. The information needed for good simulation only compress the shoulder and elbow joint angles in a few key postures. Stimulated acceleration signals on the upper-arm segment have a high correlation coefficient (>0.9) and a small root mean squared error (<0.11 g) with a real bi-axial accelerometer.

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Abbreviations

\(\bar p(t)\) :

is vector of position of sensor in 3D space at timet

\(\bar s_{upperarm} (t)\) :

is unit vector of axis along upper arm segment

\(\bar s_{forearm} (t)\) :

is unit vector of axis along forearm segment

d1 sensor :

is distance of sensor from shoulder joint towards distal end

d2 sensor :

is distance of sensor from elbow joint towards distal end

[R] resultant :

is 3×3 rotation matrix that was calculated from laboratory co-ordinate system to local co-ordinate system of sensor

[R] sensor :

is sensor orientation with respect to attached segment

[R] forearm :

is forearm orientation with respect to upper arm segment

[R] upperarm :

is upper arm orientation with respect to laboratory co-ordinate system

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  1. Jockey Club Rehabilitation Engineering Centre, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    K. Y. Tong & A. F. T. Mak

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  1. K. Y. Tong
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  2. A. F. T. Mak
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Correspondence to K. Y. Tong.

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Tong, K.Y., Mak, A.F.T. Development of computer-based environment for simulating the voluntary upper-limb movements of persons with disability. Med. Biol. Eng. Comput. 39, 414–421 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02345362

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