Research in Motion Analysis Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of São Carlos , São Carlos , Brazil.
Mechatronics Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos , São Carlos , Brazil.
Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2016 Feb 22;4:16. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2016.00016. eCollection 2016.
This paper presents a methodology and first results obtained in a study with a novel device that allows the analysis of grasping quality. Such a device is able to acquire motion information of upper limbs allowing kinetic of manipulation analysis as well. A pilot experiment was carried out with six groups of typically developing children aged between 5 and 10 years, with seven to eight children in each one. The device, designed to emulate a glass, has an optical system composed by one digital camera and a special convex mirror that together allow image acquisition of grasping hand posture when it is grasped and manipulated. It also carries an Inertial Measurement Unit that captures motion data as acceleration, orientation, and angular velocities. The novel instrumented object is used in our approach to evaluate functional tasks performance in quantitative terms. During tests, each child was invited to grasp the cylindrical part of the device that was placed on the top of a table, simulating the task of drinking a glass of water. In the sequence, the child was oriented to transport the device back to the starting position and release it. The task was repeated three times for each child. A grasping hand posture evaluation is presented as an example to evaluate grasping quality. Additionally, motion patterns obtained with the trials performed with the different groups are presented and discussed. This device is attractive due to its portable characteristics, the small size, and its ability to evaluate grasping form. The results may be also useful to analyze the evolution of the rehabilitation process through reach-to-grasping movement and the grasping images analysis.
本文提出了一种方法和在一项使用新型设备进行的研究中获得的初步结果，该设备可分析抓握质量。该设备能够获取上肢运动信息，还能够进行操作分析的动力学分析。进行了一项试点实验，共有 6 组典型发展的儿童参与，年龄在 5 至 10 岁之间，每组有 7 至 8 名儿童。该设备旨在模拟玻璃杯，其光学系统由一个数字摄像头和一个特殊的凸面镜组成，可一起获取抓握手姿势的图像，当手抓住并操作设备时，该手姿势会被获取。它还配备了一个惯性测量单元，可捕获加速度、方向和角速度等运动数据。在我们的方法中，使用新型仪器化对象来以定量方式评估功能任务的性能。在测试过程中，每个孩子都被邀请抓住放置在桌子顶部的设备的圆柱形部分，模拟喝水的任务。然后，孩子被引导将设备返回到起始位置并释放。每个孩子重复进行三次该任务。本文呈现了一个抓握手姿势评估示例，以评估抓握质量。此外，还呈现和讨论了使用不同组进行的试验获得的运动模式。该设备具有便携性、小巧尺寸和评估抓握形式的能力，因此具有吸引力。通过到达抓握运动和抓握图像分析，结果也可能有助于分析康复过程的演变。
