A Novel Device for Grasping Assessment during Functional Tasks: Preliminary Results.

Ana Carolinne Portela Rocha,Leonardo M Pedro,Louise Gracelli Pereira Da Silva,Eloisa Tudella,Glauco Augusto De Paula Caurin,Viviane Cristina Roma Appel

doi:10.3389/fbioe.2016.00016

Ana Carolinne Portela Rocha, Leonardo M Pedro + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2016.00016

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Abstract

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.

Highlights

Reaching and grasping objects is the base for acquiring more complex manual abilities, which involves a combination of reach, grasp, transport, and release (Coluccini et al, 2007)
Until the end of the 10th year, the development of prehensile abilities is completed in typically developing children, which is demonstrated by well-established kinematic patterns (Kuhtz-Buschbeck et al, 1998; Paré and Dugas, 1999)
The movement beginning can be identified analyzing Euler angle Y provided by the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)

Summary

Introduction

Reaching and grasping objects is the base for acquiring more complex manual abilities, which involves a combination of reach, grasp, transport, and release (Coluccini et al, 2007). Around the age of 4 months, infants are able to direct the arm toward a target of interest and grasp it (von Hofsten and Lindhagen, 1979). In this period, upper limb movements that result in grasping are marked by a. Kinematic analysis of immature reaching in infants reveals an irregular and awkward trajectory, with a great number of accelerations, decelerations, and corrections, known as movement units (von Hofsten and Lindhagen, 1979; Shumway-Cook et al, 2003). Until the end of the 10th year, the development of prehensile abilities is completed in typically developing children, which is demonstrated by well-established kinematic patterns (Kuhtz-Buschbeck et al, 1998; Paré and Dugas, 1999)

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