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Portable clinical tracking-task instrument

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Abstract

It has been known that tracking tasks can be useful for detecting small but significant changes in neurological function. However the size, cost and complexity of the equipment have, to date, precluded their widespread use for evaluation of clinical trials. In development for nine years, a battery of tremour and tracking tasks has been designed and evaluated. It is portable, and easy to administer and score. It evaluates neurological functions associated with steadiness, reaction time, speed, and co-ordination of the upper extremities. Instrumentation includes a central electronics package with power supply and test timers, a digital data readout, a television display, a chart recorder, and position, force, and accelerometer transducers. Available tests include force steadiness, resting and sustention tremour, and random, sinusoid, step and critical tracking in pursuit and compensatory modes. Data analysis can be online or offline.

Sommaire

Il est bien connu que le dépistage peut servir à détecter les variations faibles, bien que significatives, des fonctions neurologiques. Toutefois, la taille, le coût et la complexité des équipements ont, jusqu'ici, empêché leur application généralisée pour l'évaluation des tests cliniques. Neuf ans de travaux de mise au point ont abouti à l'étude et l'évaluation d'une batterie de dépistage et de détection de tremblements. Elle est portable, et facile à utiliser. Elle évalue les fonctions neurologiques correspondant à la régularité, le temps de réaction, la vitesse et la coordination des extrémités supérieures du corps. Les appareils de mesure comprennent un groupe électronique central avec unité d'alimentation et minuteries de test, un affichage de données numériques un tube cathodique de visualisation, un enregistreur à bande, ainsi que des transducteurs de position, de force et d'accéléromètres. Les tests prévus comportent, entre autres, la régularité de la force, le tremblement au repos et en sustentation, ainsi que le dépistage aléatoire, sinusoïdale, pas-à-pas et critique en modes de poursuite et de compensation. L'analyse des données peut se faire en mode direct ou autonome.

Zusammenfassung

Es ist bekannt, daß Eingrenzungsaufgaben für das Auffinden geringfügiger, jedoch bedeutsamer Änderungen in der neurologischen Funktion nützlich sein können. Größe, Kosten und Kompliziertheit der Ausrüstung haben ihre weitgehende Anwendung zur Auswertung klinischer Versuche jedoch bisher verhindert. In neunjähriger Entwicklungsarbeit ist nunmehr eine Zitter-und Spureneingrenzungsbatterie entwickelt und ausgewertet worden. Sie isttragbar und leicht zu benutzen. Sie wertet neurologische Funktionen in Verbindung mit Beständigkeit, Reaktionszeit, Geschwindigkeit und Koordinierung der oberen Extremitäten aus. Die Instrumentenausstattung schließt ein zentrales Elektronik-Paket mit Netzteil und Prüfzeitschaltern, eine digitale Datenauslesung, eine Fernsehanzeige, einen Streifenblattschreiber sowie Positions-, Kraft- und Beschleunigungsmesser-Wandler ein. Die verfügbaren Tests umfassen Kraftbeständigkeit, Ruhe- und Aushaltezittern und wahllose-, sinusähnliche-, stufenartige- und kritische Spureneingrenzung in Verfolgungs- und Ausgleichs-Betriebsarten. Die Datenanalyse kann systemabhängig oder systemunabhängig erfolgen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, 76019, Arlington, Tx., USA

    A. R. Potvin

  2. LTV Aerospace, Grand Prairie, Tx., USA

    J. A. Doerr

  3. Bell Helicopter, Hurst, Tx., USA

    J. T. Estes

  4. Neurology & Research Services, V.A. Wadsworth Hospital and UCLA, USA

    W. W. Tourtellotte

Authors
  1. A. R. Potvin
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  2. J. A. Doerr
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  3. J. T. Estes
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  4. W. W. Tourtellotte
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Potvin, A.R., Doerr, J.A., Estes, J.T. et al. Portable clinical tracking-task instrument. Med. Biol. Eng. Comput. 15, 391–397 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02457991

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02457991

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