Leineweber Matthew J, Shi Sam, Andrysek Jan
Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital;
Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto.
J Vis Exp. 2016 Aug 2(114):54223. doi: 10.3791/54223.
Artificial sensory feedback (ASF) systems can be used to compensate for lost proprioception in individuals with lower-limb impairments. Effective design of these ASF systems requires an in-depth understanding of how the parameters of specific feedback mechanism affect user perception and reaction to stimuli. This article presents a method for applying vibrotactile stimuli to human participants and measuring their response. Rotating mass vibratory motors are placed at pre-defined locations on the participant's thigh, and controlled through custom hardware and software. The speed and accuracy of participants' volitional responses to vibrotactile stimuli are measured for researcher-specified combinations of motor placement and vibration frequency. While the protocol described here uses push-buttons to collect a simple binary response to the vibrotactile stimuli, the technique can be extended to other response mechanisms using inertial measurement units or pressure sensors to measure joint angle and weight bearing ratios, respectively. Similarly, the application of vibrotactile stimuli can be explored for body segments other than the thigh.
人工感觉反馈（ASF）系统可用于补偿下肢功能障碍患者丧失的本体感觉。这些ASF系统的有效设计需要深入了解特定反馈机制的参数如何影响用户对刺激的感知和反应。本文介绍了一种对人类受试者施加振动触觉刺激并测量其反应的方法。旋转质量振动电机放置在受试者大腿上的预定义位置，并通过定制的硬件和软件进行控制。针对研究人员指定的电机放置和振动频率组合，测量受试者对振动触觉刺激的自主反应的速度和准确性。虽然这里描述的方案使用按钮来收集对振动触觉刺激的简单二元反应，但该技术可以扩展到使用惯性测量单元或压力传感器分别测量关节角度和负重比例的其他反应机制。同样，可以探索在大腿以外的身体部位应用振动触觉刺激。
