Dexterous Hand Research Articles

Fine semantic segmentation of hands for human functional pattern recognition in IADLs using deep learning

AbstractBackgroundAlzheimer’s Disease (AD) is an irreversible degenerative brain disease and the most common cause of dementia, in the elderly population (age 65 and above) although people younger may develop the disease (Clemmensen, 2020). AD is characterized by impairment in behavior and cognition which eventually obstruct the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) (Kumar, 2022). Researchers have predicted functional capacity by assessing IADL as they are strongly associated with cognitive impairment. With the availability of big data and public repositories of multimedia data such as images and videos, artificial intelligence algorithms have been used in classifying and making informed decisions that could help in disease prediction and monitoring. In the context of early diagnosis of Alzheimer, researchers have worked with machine learning techniques applied to neuroimaging for AD classification (Lama, 2021). Researchers and practitioners often use Activity of Daily Living to monitor independent‐living senior citizens’ self‐care ability, wellness status, and disease progression (Zhu, 2021). Automating the assessments of IADL will ease the evaluation of functional and cognitive function and strengthen the prediction of AD.MethodOur work approaches the timely detection and diagnosis of AD by exploring the deficiency in hand dexterity and visuospatial skills while performing IADL using egocentric videos. Therefore, in this work, we propose a fine semantic segmentation of hands, optimizing the predictions at the level of the relationship between pixels in a deep learning method. We trained the optimized RefineNet‐Pix convolutional neural network, obtaining a higher accuracy in the segmentation of semantic maps of hands.ResultWith the optimization of RefineNet‐Pix we obtained an accuracy higher than 87.9% (Urooj, 2018) in the semantic segmentation of hands. By integrating the RefineNet‐Pix results to the base model for human functional pattern recognition, we obtain an accuracy higher than 74% with respect to the base model (Yemisi, 2022).ConclusionThe optimized RefineNet‐Pix model segments pixel‐wise the hand regions in egocentric videos, providing hand motion information that can be used to classify impairment based on human functional patterns. Optimization of these models is a way forward in building a technological device for the support of Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

All the Feels: A Dexterous Hand With Large-Area Tactile Sensing

All the Feels: A Dexterous Hand With Large-Area Tactile Sensing

3-D Tactile-Based Object Recognition for Robot Hands Using Force-Sensitive and Bend Sensor Arrays

Tactile sensing is a particularly important and challenging task for a modern robot to safely manipulate objects, interact with humans in a shared space, and provide various services. This paper presents a 3D tactile glove for robots with the combination of a piezoresistive-based force sensor array (412 sensors) covering the full hand and a resistive bend sensor array (5 sensors) on the back of five fingers. Deep learning-based CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) methods using the designed tactile glove are proposed for object recognition. In the experiment for recognizing 15 objects with a dexterous robot hand, an average classification accuracy of 93.67% has been achieved. Comparison experiments with three other typical classifiers (the Quadratic SVM, Weighted KNN, and Bagged Trees) and our CNN methods show an average recognition accuracy of 91.67% with the 3D tactile glove, revealing an accuracy improvement of 4.17% over only using the force sensor array. We further apply our 3D tactile glove and the multi-modal CNN to identify three other objects and demonstrate their generalization ability of tactile object recognition with an average success accuracy of 78.33%. The proposed 3D tactile glove can be further used in human-robot interactions, the design of prosthetics and humanoid robots, and for improving the intelligence level in brain-computer collaborative systems.

Design and Validation of a Novel Hand-Worn Sensor for Assessment of Dexterity in Neurological Conditions

Abstract Sensitive measurement of hand dexterity is important in many neurological conditions such as Stroke, Parkinson's Disease, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Current multi-item rating scales and performance-based tests lack sensitivity and contain subjective biases. This paper presents the design and validation of an objective, novel hand-worn dexterity measurement device that digitizes the finger tapping test (FTT), a widely used test in neurological practice. The device was designed to address predefined user needs and design requirements. It comprises two distinct sections, a mechanical system that attaches to a participant's thumb and index finger and an electronic system that captures/transmits data to a secure cloud storage. The accuracy (for four devices) was validated by plotting the known displacements against the calculated displacements, which returned slopes approximately equal to one. A maximum extension force of 0.51 N was required to extend the cord to 200 mm extension. Clinical testing was carried out on a small sample of healthy people (n = 3) and people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (n = 3). Clean datasets were produced from participant's raw data graphs, from which new features describing a participant's FTT were extracted. The proposed dexterity device digitizes the FTT and provides clean, accurate, sensitive, and reliable data.

Simulation Analysis of a Sandwich Cantilever Ultrasonic Motor for a Dexterous Prosthetic Hand.

Currently, the driving motor used in a dexterous prosthetic hand is limited by the driving principle, and it has the characteristics of a complex structure, slow response, low positioning accuracy, and excessive volume. There are special requirements in terms of quality and quality, and traditional motor drives have greatly affected the progress of prosthetic robots. A motor (ultrasonic motor) has been developed over more than 30 years. It has the advantages of a small size, small mass, simple structure, accurate positioning, high power density, and fast response time, which is enough to improve the driving mechanism performance of the prosthetic hand with a connecting rod. In this paper, the structural characteristics of the prosthetic hand will be analyzed, and the modal analysis, harmonic response analysis, and transient analysis simulation of the longitudinal vibration linear motor stator used in the prosthetic hand with a connecting rod will be carried out in order to provide preliminary preparation for the feasible design and manufacture of the size of the ultrasonic driver structure used for the prosthetic hand with a connecting rod.

The Relationship between Job Fatigue and Fine Motor Skills in Cable Car Company’s Production Staff

Background and objective: Job fatigue is considered one of the factors affecting the performance and the productivity of workers in work environments. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between job fatigue and its dimensions with fine motor skills in the production line workers of Sabzevar Cable Car Company. Participants and methods: One hundred and forty-eight workers of the production line of Sabzevar Car Company were selected as a sample. The level of occupational fatigue of workers was measured using the standard questionnaire of Excessive Occupational Fatigue. In addition, manual and sorting skills of workers were estimated through Board test. In order to analyze the research data, Spearman's correlation coefficient test was used. Results: The results of the Spearman correlation coefficient test showed that there were negative and significant relationships between job fatigue and the components of hand and finger dexterity skill, including manual skills (r = 0.188, P ≤ 0.022) and sorting skill r (r = -0.246, P ≤ 0.003). Also, a statistically significant relationship was observed between the dimensions of fatigue and coping skills (P≤0.05). Conclusion: According to the results of the present research study, we recommend that employers prevent the occurrence of worker fatigue in industrial environments through providing conditions such as shift breaks and performing short-term activities with low intensity. Otherwise, in order to prevent accidents and the production of defective products, tired workers should refrain from performing fine manual activities such as assembling.

Impairment of daily occupations in multiple sclerosis: analysis of neuroimaging, general and social cognition, and reserve

BackgroundMultiple Sclerosis (MS) can impact performance of daily occupations in both relapsing-remitting (RRMS) and secondary-progressive (SPMS) clinical courses. Work force participation decreases with advancing physical disability but the influence of non-motor factors, neuroimaging, and reserve have been scarcely investigated. We aimed to evaluate MRI, clinical, and cognitive (social and general) factors associated with impairment in different daily occupations and address whether cognitive and brain reserve have a positive impact on the ability to maintain these activities. MethodsWe prospectively enrolled persons with MS (PwMS) who underwent clinical examination (Expanded Disability Status Scale – EDSS; Timed 25-Foot Walk Test - T25FW; and the Nine Hole Peg Test - 9HPT), general neuropsychological assessment (Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological Tests – BRBN, including the Symbol Digit Modalities Test - SDMT), social cognition evaluation (Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test), cognitive reserve questionnaire, and MRI (FreeSurfer). We also enrolled healthy subjects for comparison as a control group. Daily occupations (employment, money management, and driving abilities) were assessed in all individuals with questionnaires. ResultsWe included 62 PwMS (32 RRMS and 30 SPMS; mean age 42.8 years; median educational time 12.75 years) and 67 controls (mean age 39.7; median educational time 12.0 years) which were similar regarding demographics, education, and socioeconomic status (p > 0.1). Most PwMS (67.7%) had work-restrictions. They also reported fewer money management and driving abilities than controls (p < 0.001). Work-restriction was associated with physical disability (p = 0.006), SDMT and BRBN performance (p = 0.035 and p = 0.031, respectively), and T2-lesion volume (p = 0.022), with large effect sizes (d > 0.75). After hierarchical linear regression, money management was associated with hand dexterity, general and social cognition, and cognitive reserve (p < 0.03). Variables associated with driving abilities included fatigue, verbal fluency, striatum volume, and brain reserve (p < 0.05). ConclusionsPwMS have more frequent work-restrictions and impairment in money management and driving abilities compared to controls. Cognitive function, physical disability, and MS-lesion burden are strongly associated with work-restriction. Social cognition can also influence financial capacity. Cognitive and brain reserve can help retain some of these daily occupations.

Intrinsically Motivated Multi-Goal Reinforcement Learning Using Robotics Environment Integrated with OpenAI Gym

Sparse reward is one of the most challenging problems in reinforcement learning (RL). Hindsight Experience Replay (HER) attempts to address this issue by converting a failed experience to a successful one by relabelling the goals. In open-ended and changing environments, agents face a wide range of potential tasks that might not come with associated reward functions. Such autonomous learning agents must set their own tasks and build their own curriculum through an intrinsically motivated exploration. Because some tasks might prove easy and some impossible, agents must actively select which task to practice at any given moment, to maximize their overall mastery on the set of learnable tasks. The purpose of this technical report is two-fold. First, it introduces a suite of challenging continuous control tasks (integrated with OpenAI Gym) based on currently existing robotics hardware. The tasks include pushing, sliding and pick &amp; place with a Fetch robotic arm as well as in-hand object manipulation with a Shadow Dexterous Hand. All tasks have sparse binary rewards and follow a Multi-Goal Reinforcement Learning (RL) framework in which an agent is told what to do using an additional input. The second part of the paper presents a set of concrete research ideas for improving RL algorithms, most of which are related to Multi-Goal RL and Hindsight Experience Replay. The Fetch environments are based on the 7-DoF Fetch robotics arm,2 which has a two-fingered parallel gripper. Agents focus on achievable tasks first and focus back on tasks that are being forgotten. Experiments conducted in a new multi-task multi-goal robotic environment show that our algorithm benefits from these two ideas and demonstrate properties of robustness to distracting tasks, forgetting and changes in body properties

Contralaterally controlled functional electrical stimulation video game therapy for hand rehabilitation after stroke: a randomized controlled trial

Purpose To estimate the effect of integrating custom-designed hand therapy video games (HTVG) with contralaterally controlled functional electrical stimulation (CCFES) therapy. Methods Fifty-two stroke survivors with chronic (>6 months) upper limb hemiplegia were randomized to 12 weeks of CCFES or CCFES + HTVG. Treatment involved self-administration of technology-mediated therapy at home plus therapist-administered CCFES-assisted task practice in the lab. Pre- and post-treatment assessments were made of hand dexterity, upper limb impairment and activity limitation, and cognitive function. Results No significant between-group differences were found on any outcome measure, and the average magnitudes of improvement within both groups were small. The incidence of technical problems with study devices at home was greater for the CCFES + HTVG group. This negatively affected adherence and may partially explain the absence of effect of HTVG. At end-of-treatment, large majorities of both treatment groups had positive perceptions of treatment efficacy and expressed enthusiasm for the treatments. Conclusion This study makes an important contribution to the research literature on the importance of environmental factors, concomitant impairments, and technology simplification when designing technology-based therapies intended to be self-administered at home. This study failed to show any added benefit of HTVG to CCFES therapy. Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03058796).

Effect of fiber annealing temperature on twisted and coiled UHMWPE actuator performance

Twisted and coiled polymer (TCP) actuators are flexible, wearable, and cost effective. However, the effects of annealing temperature on the properties of these devices are poorly understood. Thus, TCPs were prepared using ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers and NiCr string and characterized. High-temperature annealing caused internal crystal-phase transformation, and annealing at 130 °C yielded a coiled fiber with optimized mechanical properties. Electromechanical tests confirmed that TCPs prepared from UHMWPE fibers annealed at 130 °C exhibited the best performance. Additionally, the voltage, displacement, tensile force, and temperature variation in the TCP fibers were recorded under different driving currents and pre-load forces to determine the optimal working conditions, and 1200-cycle life-span tests were carried out for validation. Finally, the driving performance of a TCP array was explored, and the range of motion, pressure, and possibility of lifting weights were tested using a model finger. Overall, the TCP array can be used as a soft actuated dexterous hand robot.

Evaluation of manual dexterity when using a mirror of dental students and academicians with increasing professional experience.

To evaluate the manual dexterity of dentistry students and academicians when using a mirror according to increasing professional experience. The study included 72 subjects, grouped according to professional experience 5th year dentistry students (DS) accepted as no experience-academicians with 1-4 years experience (A5L)-academicians with ≥5 years experience (A5M). Direct and indirect visualisation using the mirror was evaluated with the completion times of the O'Connor Finger Dexterity Test. The hand grip strength values of both left and right hand were found to be statistically significantly higher in all the males than in the females (p < .05). The indirect test times (ITT) using the mirror were significantly longer for males than for females (p = .001), and no significant difference was determined between the genders in the direct test times (DTT) (p > .05). For all the study participants, DTT shortened as professional experience increased (p < .05). In addition, the mean values of both DTT (p = .031) and ITT (p = .028) in the DS group were statistically significantly longer than the A5M group. With increasing professional experience, manual dexterity was determined to increase, and females were found to be more successful in the direct manual dexterity tests independently of the groups. The statistical significance between the DS and A5M groups, especially in the hand dexterity test with a mirror, shows the importance of experience. The study results demonstrated that professional manual dexterity in dentistry can be developed with increasing practical application.

Dexterous all-soft hand (DASH) with active palm: multi-functional soft hand beyond grasping

Safety and adaptability are key features of anthropomorphic robotic hands and tend to receive significant attention, however, the motion of the palm, which is also an essential element of a dexterous hand, is often ignored. Not only does a rigid palm lack compliance, but its limited manipulative capacity restricts the soft anthropomorphic hand’s range of applications. Thus, in this study, we present the dexterous all-soft hand (DASH), featuring an active palm based on pneumatic actuation. The DASH is comprised of five fingers and an active palm with 11 degrees of freedom, which enable it to achieve a range of metacarpal motions as well as thumb opposition. A step-by-step casting method was used to fabricate the hand and a set of tests were performed to characterize the bending angle and the blocked force between fingers and palm. The ability of this novel hand to achieve the highest possible scores in the Kapandji test, the injection operation, scissors manipulation and unscrewing the cap was subsequently demonstrated. The DASH is the same size as an average adult female hand, and offers the additional benefits of light weight (165 g), low cost and ease of fabrication. Moreover, its manipulation ability further broadens the range of potential applications for this type of robotic hand.

Adding up fine motor skills: Developmental relations between manual dexterity and numerical abilities

The strength and development of the relationship between mathematical and motor skills is explored across three age groups of normally developing children. The presence of this relationship is postulated in classical accounts of human development. In contemporary research, the existence of a relationship between motor development and the development of abstract concepts may inform theories of embodied cognition. Existing work supports a link between fine motor skills and various numerical and mathematical tasks in young children; however, few attempts have been made to investigate this relationship across different ages. We use a cross-sectional design to investigate the link between fine motor and mathematical skills in samples of 81–96 Kindergarten, 2nd-grade, and 4th-grade children. Bayesian correlations were performed to explore the relationship between fine motor skills and mathematical skills at different time points. The results show that correlational patterns vary across the three ages: in Kindergarten, manual dexterity of the dominant hand is related to math skills, in 2nd grade, the manual dexterity of the nondominant hand is related to math skills; and finally in 4th grade no such correlations are observable. These findings contribute to understanding the developmental trajectory of the relationship between motor skills and mathematical abilities and the internalization of numerical embodiment. Further investigation is needed to determine if fine motor skills can serve as an early indicator of mathematical skill development risk. Future work could also explore whether incorporating spatial and motor elements into mathematical tasks through whole-body or finger movement training supports the development of mathematical skills.

10 Comprehensive Neuropsychological Findings in Erdheim-Chester Disease: Case Report

Objective:Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare disorder characterized by excessive production and accumulation of histiocytes within multiple tissues and organs. ECD primarily affects adults, and symptoms vary depending upon the specific location and severity. Etiology is not always known, but some patients with ECD may have a non-inherited genetic change that allows histiocytes to reproduce uncontrollably. Currently, the cognitive outcomes of ECD are not well understood, and there are no previous neuropsychological findings in the literature. Thus, the objective of this case study was to describe the neuropsychological presentation and findings of an ECD case to inform diagnosis and treatment better.Participants and Methods:The patient was a 64-year-old white, non-Hispanic, right-handed man diagnosed with ECD in 2017. ECD accounted for a constellation of medical problems, including diabetes insipidus, hypogonadism, and interstitial lung disease. A brain MRI in 2018 revealed orbital nodularities and pituitary infiltration thought to be consistent with ECD. The patient first noticed cognitive functioning difficulties in 2020 primarily related to short-term memory. Approximately two years later, he noted significant cognitive changes, including difficulties recalling recent events, dates, and conversations, problem-solving, and planning. He had difficulty driving and had two recent car accidents when leaving his driveway. Physically, he reported increased fatigue, unsteadiness, and occasional falls. In 2022, he had a brain MRI that demonstrated a progression of multiple diffuse cerebral, cerebellum, and brainstem lesions and cerebral volume loss compared to prior imaging. He was referred for a neuropsychological assessment to rule out a neurodegenerative disorder.Results:Neuropsychological data demonstrated moderate-to-severe deficits on tests of basic spatial working memory, visually based processing speed, visual memory, letter verbal fluency, and semantic verbal fluency. He demonstrated mild-to-moderate deficits on tests of basic auditory attention, verbal memory, higher-level visuospatial processing, abstract nonverbal reasoning, multistep, organization and planning, self-monitoring of performance quality, and fine hand and motor dexterity. He demonstrated variable initial learning of new information across modalities, although he did benefit from structured verbal material. Recognition was variable, with difficulty demonstrated in discriminating visual information presented, from similar competing information, along with availability recalling visual information. He showed average auditory-based divided attention, confrontational object naming, and abstract verbal reasoning. Regarding his emotional functioning, he reported mild depressive and anxiety symptoms.Conclusions:To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report documenting detailed neuropsychological data on this rare disease. The case study documents widespread cognitive deficits with greater difficulty with visually based abilities than verbal abilities. Specifically, patients with ECD may present with cognitive difficulties in visual learning and memory, processing speed, visuospatial processing, select areas of executive/frontal systems, letter and semantic verbal fluency, and fine motor dexterity.

Axonal mapping of motor and sensory components within the ulnar nerve and its branches.

Intrinsic function is indispensable for dexterous hand movements. Distal ulnar nerve defects can result in intrinsic muscle dysfunction and sensory deficits. Although the ulnar nerve's fascicular anatomy has been extensively studied, quantitative and topographic data on motor axons traveling within this nerve remain elusive. The ulnar nerves of 14 heart-beating organ donors were evaluated. The motor branches to the flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU) and flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) muscles and the dorsal branch (DoBUN) as well as 3 segments of the ulnar nerve were harvested in 2-cm increments. Samples were subjected to double immunofluorescence staining using antibodies against choline acetyltransferase and neurofilament. Samples revealed more than 25,000 axons in the ulnar nerve at the forearm level, with a motor axon proportion of only 5%. The superficial and DoBUN showed high axon numbers of more than 21,000 and 9300, respectively. The axonal mapping of more than 1300 motor axons revealed an increasing motor/sensory ratio from the proximal ulnar nerve (1:20) to the deep branch of the ulnar nerve (1:7). The motor branches (FDP and FCU) showed that sensory axons outnumber motor axons by a ratio of 10:1. Knowledge of the detailed axonal architecture of the motor and sensory components of the human ulnar nerve is of the utmost importance for surgeons considering fascicular grafting or nerve transfer surgery. The low number of efferent axons in motor branches of the ulnar nerve and their distinct topographical distribution along the distal course of the nerve is indispensable information for modern nerve surgery.

Assessment of manual dexterity using the grooved pegboard test in secondary school students aged 11–12 years

Background and Study Aim. Understanding and addressing potential variations in hand dexterity among children is essential for educational strategies and interventions aimed at enhancing fine motor skills development in this age group. The study's objective was to assess hand dexterity levels among 11-12 years old secondary school students, considering variables such as gender, grade, and hand preference. Material and Methods. Ninety-three students (41 females and 52 males) in grades 5 and 6 of the secondary school. The Grooved Pegboard Test (Lafayette Model 32025) was used as a data collection tool to determine the students' performance in hand dexterity (fine motor skills). The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to test for differences between gender, grade, and hand preference in the mean GPT scores. Results. Results showed that both female and male 6th graders had better GPT performance in both dominant and non-dominant hands than 5th graders. On the other hand, there were no significant grade differences in GPT performance between dominant and non-dominant hands (p&gt;0.05). There was no difference in GPT performance between 5th and 6th grade (p&gt;0.05). There were no statistical differences between females and males in GPT performance in either the dominant or non-dominant hand (p&gt;0.05). Conclusions. Results highlight the importance of considering age-related changes in fine motor skills when developing educational strategies and interventions for children in the 11-12 year age group. Further research may be needed to explore the underlying factors contributing to these variations in hand dexterity.

Bidirectional associations of high-level cognitive domains with hand motor function and gait speed in high-functioning older adults: A 7-year study

BackgroundWhether age-related decline in the musculoskeletal system may contribute to a decline in cognitive performance or vice versa is unclear. Understanding the direction of their associations and the extent to which upper and lower extremities similarly predict subtle changes in high-level cognitive performance will help elucidate their mechanisms, especially that of the hand dexterity. MethodsWe evaluated the bidirectional associations of motor performance and high-level cognitive domains in 165 highly cognitively and physically healthy older adults. Motor performance tests consisted of handgrip strength, hand dexterity, assessed with the Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT), and usual and maximum gait speeds. High-level cognitive measures included executive function and information processing speed. The Trail Making Test (TMT)B and the letter and category fluency tests (LFT and CFT) evaluated executive function, while the TMTA and Digit Symbol assessed processing speed. Measurements were taken at baseline and at 2-, 5- and 7-year follow-up. ResultsGeneralized linear mixed-effect models showed that baseline hand dexterity and its trajectory predicted changes in TMTB, CFT, TMTA, and Digit Symbol over time, and vice versa. Baseline maximum gait speed was associated with LFT over time and vice versa. No associations were found for handgrip and usual gait speed. ConclusionThe positive bidirectional association observed both in hand dexterity and maximum gait speed with executive function performance and that of hand dexterity with processing speed over time highlights a reciprocal relationship where each factor affects the other and both factors are dependent on each other, suggesting commonality in their neural basis.

Experimental Study on Double-Joint Soft Actuator and Its Dexterous Hand.

In this paper, we propose a pneumatic double-joint soft actuator based on fiber winding and build a dexterous hand with 11 degrees of freedom. Firstly, soft actuator structural design is carried out according to the actuator driving principle and gives the specific manufacturing process. Then, an experimental analysis of the bending performance of a single soft actuator, including bending angle, speed, and force magnitude, is carried out by building a pneumatic control experimental platform. Finally, a series of dexterous robotic hand-grasping experiments is conducted. Different grasping methods are used to catch the objects and measure the objects' change in height, length, and rotation angle during the experiment. The results show that the proposed soft actuator is more consistent with the bending rule of human fingers, and that the gestures of the dexterous hand are more imaginable and flexible when grasping objects. The soft actuator can carry out horizontal and vertical movements, and rotation of the object in the dexterous hand, thus achieving better human-computer interaction.

Effect Of Roods Approach On Dexterity Of Hand For Grade 1 Disability In Leprosy

Background: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease affects the skin and peripheral nerves, leading to progressive physical disability if not diagnosed and treated early. Disability of hand effects on the activities of daily living so that testing and improving the dexterity of hand comes as major rehabilitation approach while treating the disease. Aim: To study the effect of roods approach technique on dexterity of hand in grade1 disability in leprosy. Objective: To evaluate the effect of roods approach technique on dexterity of hand for grade 1 disability in leprosy. Methodology: The study was done to determine the effect of roods approach on dexterity of hand for grade1 disability in leprosy. In the study, 30 patients were participated who were affected with leprosy grade 1 disability. The patients were assessed with sensory assessment and tested with eight dexterity tests to check the hand dexterity. Then they were received roods approach technique, 5 days in a week for 4 weeks. Then again patients were tested with the same dexterity tests. At the end of the study the data was analyzed and compared statistically by using paired t-test. Result: The statistical data were shown the comparison of mean values of all dexterity tests, pre and post treatment along with their standard deviation. The values were compared within the group by applying paired t –test. It shows there is improvement in the dexterity of hand with P &lt; 0.0001 after application of sensory motor integration technique. Conclusion-Based on the statistical analysis and interpretations, the roods approach techniques were found significantly effective on improving the dexterity of hand in leprosy.

NimbRo Wins ANA Avatar XPRIZE Immersive Telepresence Competition: Human-Centric Evaluation and Lessons Learned

AbstractRobotic avatar systems can enable immersive telepresence with locomotion, manipulation, and communication capabilities. We present such an avatar system, based on the key components of immersive 3D visualization and transparent force-feedback telemanipulation. Our avatar robot features an anthropomorphic upper body with dexterous hands. The remote human operator drives the arms and fingers through an exoskeleton-based operator station, which provides force feedback both at the wrist and for each finger. The robot torso is mounted on a holonomic base, providing omnidirectional locomotion on flat floors, controlled using a 3D rudder device. Finally, the robot features a 6D movable head with stereo cameras, which stream images to a VR display worn by the operator. Movement latency is hidden using spherical rendering. The head also carries a telepresence screen displaying an animated image of the operator’s face, enabling direct interaction with remote persons. Our system won the $10 M ANA Avatar XPRIZE competition, which challenged teams to develop intuitive and immersive avatar systems that could be operated by briefly trained judges. We analyze our successful participation in the semifinals and finals and provide insight into our operator training and lessons learned. In addition, we evaluate our system in a user study that demonstrates its intuitive and easy usability.