TY - GEN
T1 - Restoring proper task mechanics of the hand post-stroke by targeted assistance of hand muscles
AU - Lee, Sang Wook
AU - Vermillion, Billy C.
AU - Heidner, Gustavo Sandri
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 IEEE.
PY - 2017/9/13
Y1 - 2017/9/13
N2 - Significant impairment in hand function is found prevalent among stroke survivors, but its effective restoration is challenging due to the complexity of the functional tasks of the hand. In this study, we proposed a novel approach to improve functionality of the hand post-stroke by providing 'subject-specific' patterns of targeted assistance to impaired musculotendon of the hand during functional task performance. Eleven chronic stroke survivors participated in the experiment in which a biomimetic device provided targeted assistance to the impaired hand musculotendons. The proposed subject-specific approach was found to restore proper mechanics of two functional tasks, hand open and palmar pinch, as quantified by the joint kinematics and fingertip force direction. The range of motion and joint coordination was improved for the hand open task, and the fingertip force was directed towards normal direction by the targeted assistance of impaired muscles. The assistance pattern was significantly different across subjects, indicating significant between-subject variability in the impairment characteristics that affect task performance. The proposed method could enable an effective 'subject-specific' training method that restores proper mechanics of functional hand tasks for stroke survivors.
AB - Significant impairment in hand function is found prevalent among stroke survivors, but its effective restoration is challenging due to the complexity of the functional tasks of the hand. In this study, we proposed a novel approach to improve functionality of the hand post-stroke by providing 'subject-specific' patterns of targeted assistance to impaired musculotendon of the hand during functional task performance. Eleven chronic stroke survivors participated in the experiment in which a biomimetic device provided targeted assistance to the impaired hand musculotendons. The proposed subject-specific approach was found to restore proper mechanics of two functional tasks, hand open and palmar pinch, as quantified by the joint kinematics and fingertip force direction. The range of motion and joint coordination was improved for the hand open task, and the fingertip force was directed towards normal direction by the targeted assistance of impaired muscles. The assistance pattern was significantly different across subjects, indicating significant between-subject variability in the impairment characteristics that affect task performance. The proposed method could enable an effective 'subject-specific' training method that restores proper mechanics of functional hand tasks for stroke survivors.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85032173228&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/EMBC.2017.8037030
DO - 10.1109/EMBC.2017.8037030
M3 - Conference contribution
C2 - 29060076
AN - SCOPUS:85032173228
T3 - Proceedings of the Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS
SP - 1138
EP - 1141
BT - 2017 39th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
T2 - 39th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2017
Y2 - 11 July 2017 through 15 July 2017
ER -