Manual Movements Research Articles

Comparative experimental assessment of the accuracy of nanosecond laser surgery of the oral cavity when the instrument is moved by a robotic complex and a surgeon

Аim — to compare the constancy of maintaining the size of the air gap in standard surgical incisions of the oral mucosa using a diode laser performed by a manipulation robot and by the hand of a surgeon. Material and Methods — A manipulative robotic mechanism coupled with a medical instrument – a semiconductor laser with a nanosecond pulsed pumping driver with a wavelength of λ = 1260 μm was used for the study. A comparative tool for simulating manual movement was a working organ with a nozzle for holding in surgeon’s hand. The study was conducted on three typical trajectories: linear, semilunar and scalloped. The point coordinates were obtained by scanning the position of the reflector of the coordinate measuring machine in 100 passes with the calculation of the value of the standard deviation of the various measured quantities. Results — it was estimated that the magnitude of the spread of the air gap on typical trajectories between the laser tip and the treated biological tissue perfofmed by the robot is on the average 7 times less (p<0.05) compared to manual movements. Conclusion — The results showed that the use of robotic laser complexes in medicine would significantly improve the accuracy of the medical laser movement maintaining a constant fixed distance between the laser instrument and the mucosa in a range of up to 1 mm.

Sistem Kendali Navigasi Robot Manual

The purpose of this study is to control the robot's navigation manually and determine the coordinate position and movement patterns of the manual robot. This study uses GPS to determine the position of coordinates and patterns of manual robot movements. Manual robot navigation control systems use wireless joysticks and use of omni wheels on manual robot mechanics to maneuver movements in all directions. The control device uses the Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) communication by utilizing the nRF24L01 communication device on the 2.4 GHz RF band. The results showed that the position and pattern of manual robot navigation movements can be known based on the coordinate points on the route taken. In addition, wireless joysticks can control manual robots to maneuver the movements of manual robots in all directions.

Manual Movement in Sign Languages: One Hand Versus Two in Communicating Shapes.

In sign languages, the task of communicating a shape involves drawing in the air with one moving hand (Method One) or two (Method Two). Since the movement path is iconic, method choice might be based on the shape. In the present studies we aimed to determine whether geometric properties motivate method choice. In a study of 17 deaf signers from six countries, the strongest predictors of method choice were whether the shape has any curved edges (Method One), and whether the shape is symmetrical across the Y‐axis (Method Two), where the default was Method One. In a second study of ASL dictionary entries for which the movement path of the sign is iconic of an entity's shape, the same predictors surfaced. These tendencies are captured in the Lexical Drawing Principle, which is coherent with biological constraints on movement in general. Drawing in the air with two hands, however, is costly, both cognitively and biomechanically. Furthermore, it distinguishes signers from non‐signers, who draw shapes with only one hand. Signers assume this extra cost in the lexicon because of the enhanced iconicity the possibility of two hands offers; they assume it in drawing shapes in the air because they apply the same linguistic principle they use in the lexicon. Additionally, having a choice of methods allows the signer to benefit from over‐specification in providing redundant information about the shape, enhancing comprehensibility and resolving ambiguity.

Inhibition of Manual Movements at Speech Arrest Sites in the Posterior Inferior Frontal Lobe.

Intraoperative stimulation of the posterior inferior frontal lobe (IFL) induces speech arrest, which is often interpreted as demonstration of essential language function. However, prior reports have described "negative motor areas" in the IFL, sites where stimulation halts ongoing limb motor activity. To investigate the spatial and functional relationship between IFL speech arrest areas and negative motor areas (NMAs). In this retrospective cohort study, intraoperative stimulation mapping was performed to localize speech and motor function, as well as arrest of hand movement, hand posture, and guitar playing in a set of patients undergoing awake craniotomy for dominant hemisphere pathologies. The incidence and localization of speech arrest and motor inhibition was analyzed. Eleven patients underwent intraoperative localization of speech arrest sites and inhibitory motor areas. A total of 17 speech arrest sites were identified in the dominant frontal lobe, and, of these, 5 sites (29.4%) were also identified as NMAs. Speech arrest and arrest of guitar playing was also evoked by a single IFL site in 1 subject. Inferior frontal gyrus speech arrest sites do not function solely in speech production. These findings provide further evidence for the complexity of language organization, and suggest the need for refined mapping strategies that discern between language-specific sites and inhibitory motor areas.

Kinesitherapeutic behaviour in conservative treatment of coxarthrosis – case report

Hip arthrosis is the main cause of disability of all degenerative joint diseases and therefore it is considered to be of social significance. The presented clinical case aims to confirm the efficacy of the applied kinesitherapeutic program in conservative treatment of 62-year-old patient with right-sided coxarthrosis. The kinesitherapeutic methods included right lower limb massage, suspension therapy, tractions and manual movements of the right hip joint, positional treatment, active exercisesinan openkinetic chain, postisometric relaxation and stretching for shortened muscles.The pain symptoms were reduced, the volume of movement in the right hip increased, the strength of the right hip joint stabilizer musclespartially improved.

Functional connectivity of brain associated with passive range of motion exercise: Proprioceptive input promoting motor activation?

Soft robotics have come to the forefront of devices available for rehabilitation following stroke; however, objective evaluation of the specific brain changes following rehabilitation with these devices is lacking. In this study, we utilized functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and dynamic causal modeling (DCM) to characterize the activation of brain areas with a MRI compatible glove actuator compared to the conventional manual therapy. Thirteen healthy volunteers engaged in a motor-visual fMRI task under four different conditions namely active movement, manual passive movement, passive movement using a glove actuator, and crude tactile stimulation. Brain activity following each task clearly identified the somatosensory motor area (SMA) as a major hub orchestrating activity between the primary motor (M1) and sensory (S1) cortex.During the glove-induced passive movement, activity in the motor-somatosensory areas was reduced, but there were significant increases in motor cortical activity compared to manual passive movement. We estimated the modulatory signaling from within a defined sensorimotor network (SMA, M1, and S1), through DCM and highlighted a dual-gating of sensorimotor inputs to the SMA. Proprioceptive signaling from S1 to the SMA reflected positive coupling for the manually assisted condition, while M1 activity was positively coupled to the SMA during the glove condition. Importantly, both the S1 and M1 were shown to influence each other’s connections with the SMA, with inhibitory nonlinear modulation by the M1 on the S1-SMA connection, and similarly S1 gated the M1-SMA connection. The work is one of the first to have applied effective connectivity to examine sensorimotor activity ensued by manual or robotic passive range of motion exercise, crude tactile stimulation, and voluntary movements to provide a basis for the mechanism by which soft actuators can alter brain activity.

The Embodied Penman: Effector-Specific Motor-Language Integration During Handwriting.

Several studies have illuminated how processing manual action verbs (MaVs) affects the programming or execution of concurrent hand movements. Here, to circumvent key confounds in extant designs, we conducted the first assessment of motor-language integration during handwriting-a task in which linguistic and motoric processes are co-substantiated. Participants copied MaVs, non-manual action verbs, and non-action verbs as we collected measures of motor programming and motor execution. Programming latencies were similar across conditions, but execution was faster for MaVs than for the other categories, regardless of whether word meanings were accessed implicitly or explicitly. In line with the Hand-Action-Network Dynamic Language Embodiment (HANDLE) model, such findings suggest that effector-congruent verbs can prime manual movements even during highly automatized tasks in which motoric and verbal processes are naturally intertwined. Our paradigm opens new avenues for fine-grained explorations of embodied language processes.

Sensorimotor training modulates automatic imitation of visual speech.

The observation-execution links underlying automatic-imitation processes are suggested to result from associative sensorimotor experience of performing and watching the same actions. Past research supporting the associative sequence learning (ASL) model has demonstrated that sensorimotor training modulates automatic imitation of perceptually transparent manual actions, but ASL has been criticized for not being able to account for opaque actions, such as orofacial movements that include visual speech. To investigate whether the observation-execution links underlying opaque actions are as flexible as has been demonstrated for transparent actions, we tested whether sensorimotor training modulated the automatic imitation of visual speech. Automatic imitation was defined as a facilitation in response times for syllable articulation (ba or da) whenin the presence of a compatible visual speech distractor, relative to whenin the presence of an incompatible distractor. Participants received either mirror (say /ba/ when the speaker silently says /ba/, and likewise for /da/) or countermirror (say /da/ when the speaker silently says /ba/, and vice versa) training, and automatic imitation was measured before and after training. The automatic-imitation effect was enhanced following mirror training and reduced following countermirror training, suggesting that sensorimotor learning plays a critical role in linking speech perception and production, and that the links between these two systems remain flexible in adulthood. Additionally, as compared to manual movements, automatic imitation of speech was susceptible to mirror training but was relatively resilient to countermirror training. We propose that social factors and the multimodal nature of speech might account for the resilience to countermirror training of sensorimotor associations of speech actions.

Teacher-learner interaction quantifies scaffolding behaviour in imitation learning

Teachers often believe that they take into account learners’ ongoing learning progress in their teaching. Can behavioural data support this belief? To address this question, we investigated the interactive behavioural coordination between teachers and learners during imitation learning to solve a puzzle. The teacher manually demonstrated the puzzle solution to a learner who immediately imitated and learned it. Manual movements of teachers and learners were analysed using a bivariate autoregressive model. To identify bidirectional information exchange and information shared between the two agents, we calculated causality and noise covariance from the model. Information transfer observed from teacher to learner in the lateral component of their motion indicated imitation of the spatial information of the puzzle solution. Information transfer from learner to teacher in the vertical component of their motion indicated the monitoring process through which teachers adjust their timing of demonstration to the learner’s progress. The shared information in the lateral component increased as learning progressed, indicating the knowledge was shared between the two agents. Our findings demonstrated that the teacher interactively engaged in and contingently supported (i.e. scaffolded) imitation. We thus provide a behavioural signature of the teacher’s intention to promote learning indispensable for understanding the nature of teaching.

The hand as agent of the mind? The irony of manual training reform in Menomonie, Wisconsin (1890–1920)

ABSTRACTAt the end of the nineteenth century, proponents of the manual training movement called for the implementation of manual training classes in America’s schools. This movement – whose distinctive feature was ‘the education of the mind, and of the hand as the agent of the mind’ – was supported by a revolutionary rhetoric: manual training classes were supposed to be at the centre of a school transformation dedicated to the principles of ‘learning by doing’ and ‘freedom for the child.’ Using archival sources from the city of Menomonie, Wisconsin, this article is conceived as an effort to move beyond progressive reformers’ rhetoric in order to understand the functioning of manual training classes. By documenting how progressive reformers changed the curriculum, social purposes and reality of schooling for local pupils, it unveils the irony of manual training reform in Menomonie, ie that the Menomonie schools remained bastions of social order and stability.

Bisindo Sign Language Transliteration Using Automata

Sign Language is a language which prioritizes manual communication, body language and lip movement for communication. People who usesign language for communication aredeaf and mute people. Sign language in Indonesia is Sistem Isyarat Bahasa Indonesia (SIBI) and Bahasa Isyarat Indonesia (BISINDO). BISINDO has a unique clause pattern that isSOPA (Subject, Object, Predicate, Adverbial). The clause pattern of BISINDO is just for deaf and mute people who know and understand it. Because there are some different structures between Indonesian language and BISINDO, itis neededlearning media which can translate from Indonesian language to BISINDO. Finie State Automata (FSA) is a method which is able to recognize pattern sentence classification in Indonesian language. FSA method is NSA (Non-DetermisticFinie State Automata) that is otomata with characteristics as a state. NFA is used to give introducing structure pattern sentence in Indonesian language. Sentence pattern which is produced from NFA produces eight sentences pattern which are arranged as requisites ofBISINDO translation. The result of research which is experimented by sign language researchersas many as 90% can translate well and appropriate with BISINDO sentence pattern, 10% explain that it is not appropriate with translation of sentence pattern and sign language model. Based on the data, it can be known that media of BISINDO sign language learning based on web using method of translation automata can be used for learning media.

Microbiological performance of a robotic system for aseptic compounding of cytostatic drugs

BackgroundCompounding of cytostatic drugs requires strict aseptic procedures, while exposure to toxic drugs and repetitive manual movements should be minimized. Furthermore, reuse of vials is desirable to lower the costs. To assess if all this might be safely achieved with a robot, this study aimed at qualifying the aseptic preparation process with the robotic system APOTECAchemo. MethodsThe aseptic compounding of patient-individual cytostatic solutions was simulated with media fill simulation tests to qualify the performance according to European GMP Annex 1. The contamination in the environment was measured in critical places using settle plates, contact plates, active air sampling and particle counting. Media-fill simulation tests were prepared in 3 production batches.The second part of the study evaluated the microbiological shelf-life of commercial drug vials after repeated puncturing. On six days, fifty syringes of 15 ml media were prepared from the same 50 vials with the robot. After each preparation, vials were covered with an IVA seal upon unloading from the robot to protect them from microbiological contamination. ResultsNo microbiological contamination was found in any of the 96 media fill preparations, nor in any of the 300 syringes that were prepared with repeated puncturing. The compounding area met class A limits, while class A criteria were not fulfilled by the contact plates and settle plates placed on the right side of the loading area. There, the average colony forming units (cfu) were 3 and 1.17, respectively, meeting class B criteria. ConclusionsRobotical compounding of cytostatic drugs with APOTECAchemo meets the microbiological requirements of the European GMP. In addition, the robot can reuse vials repeatedly and safely, thereby enabling extended usage.

Gender differences in brain processes during inhibition of manual movements programs.

Motor response suppression can be regarded as an important aspect of the executive control, as a way of changing the behavioral pattern depending on the internal state or external factors. The aim of our study was to examine whether there were differences in the ability of cortical inhibition of triggered motor program (in the context of the Stop-Signal task) between females and males. We examined differences in the patterns of event-related EEG synchronization/desynchronization (ERS/ERD) in young volunteers under the conditions of complete inhibition of the triggered motor program of a manual movement. Thirty-six male and thirty-eight female (ages of 19 to 21) took part in the tests. The ERS and ERD indices were estimated within the EEG frequency range 8-35 Hz in frontal, central and parietal leads. In both gender groups, as a global pattern, the prevalence of connected phenomena with the EEG synchronization event in the range of α-activity of the EEG, apparently associated with inhibition of the running motor program was noted. Cortical electrical activity acquired certain specific features of the frequency-spatial organization, which could indicate the course of somewhat different brain processes of men and women.

Development and Testing of a Prototype for 3D Radial Pulse Image Measurement and Compatible With 1D Pulse Wave Analysis

This study proposes the prototype of a wrist pulse acquisition device with three-dimensional pulse image (3DPI) obtained at the radial artery. The proposed prototype is designed with mechanical and electronic circuit hardware as well as the control and data acquisition software to have fourteen degrees of movement freedom against the sophisticated geometry of the wrist radial artery for accurate pulse-taking. Three robot fingers with nine degrees of movement freedom and a wrist fixer with two degrees of rotation freedom and one degree of manual movement freedom are designed to mimic the fine pulse-taking skill of a Chinese medicine physician. The customer-designed array sensors with $5\times5$ -1 sensing elements in an array are attached on the robot fingertips to get 3DPI with spatial information for direct translation of pulse feeling patterns in Chinese medicine texts, in addition to being compatible with 1D pulse wave analysis. To check reliability of the prototype, adopted is SphygmoCor with pulse data correlation. Consequently, the prototype passes safety tests and has high correlation of pulse data (waveform and peripheral augmented index) with those obtained by SphygmoCor. The automatic multi-depth pulse-taking with robot fingers attached array sensors on their tips can get acceptably repeatable pulse data with coefficient of variation less than 10%. By simultaneous pulse-taking at Cun-Guan-Chi positions, 3DPIs demonstrate great different stereoscopic waveshapes against almost unchanged single temporal pulse waveshape. Hence, the proposed prototype may be a useful tool to perform array pulse-taking for Chinese medicine pulse diagnosis and pulse wave analysis for cardiovascular examination.

Cryopreservation and microfluidics: a focus on the oocyte.

Cryopreservation of gametes and embryos has played a critical role in successful assisted reproductive technologies in rodents, domestic farm species, endangered species and humans. With improved success, and changing needs, the utility of gamete or embryo cryopreservation has escalated. In this review we address some of the foundational history of mammalian cryobiology, species-specific utilities, fundamental understandings of cryoprotectant agents and their use in slow-rate freezing and vitrification, and expand on the recent success and uses of oocyte vitrification and warming. In the area of female gamete cryopreservation, emphasis will be placed on not just cell survival, but also perceived and measured affects of cryopreservation on intracellular structures and functions that affect subsequent completion of meiosis with chromatin segregation fidelity, normal fertilisation and embryonic developmental competence. We compare and contrast data from cow, mouse and humans with a focus on using species-comparative developmental biology to guide future studies for improving methodologies for all species. The application of the relatively new technology microfluidics is discussed in relation to moving gradually (i.e. changing the solution over cells in an automated fashion) compared with the stepwise manual movement of cells through changing solution currently used. This use of microfluidics to change the way cells are exposed to cryoprotectant agents can provide new insights into the effects of osmotic stress and cellular strain rates previously unappreciated, precise methods of computational and biological data acquisition and appreciation of morphometric changes to cellular structure in response to different osmotic stresses and strain rates achieved with varying cryoprotectant exposures. Collectively, these devices and methodologies provide a means of achieving incremental improvement of oocyte and zygote cryopreservation with normalised and improved developmental competence. Finally, we look to the past and the future to acknowledge the accomplishment of leaders in the field of mammalian gamete and embryo cryobiology, their inspirational works, their tireless dissemination of information and the potential of new technologies in bioengineering to improve the efficiency and safety of gamete and embryo cryopreservation.

Robot Revolution: Myth or Reality [Point of View

There has been much recent discussion in the popular press about robots and intelligent machines or programs taking jobs and creating unemployment on a massive scale. Looking at history, technological unemployment or workers being replaced by machines has been a problem for a long time. It would seem that because we have survived the invention of many paradigm-changing devices over many centuries, we will survive this latest one, but, maybe this time is different. This time the machines are autonomous. They are not just an extension of a human’s manual movements, like a steam engine, a sewing machine, or a grain reaper. They are an extension of the human’s mind and can make decisions without human guidance.

Dynamic Scanning Electromagnetic Infrared Thermographic Analysis Based on Blind Source Separation for Industrial Metallic Damage Evaluation

In order to solve the problems of low efficiency and small area of existing eddy current thermography industrial nondestructive testing, this work realizes in-field-of-view (FOV) dynamic scanning eddy current pulsed thermography (DSECPT) with the help of blind source separation (BSS) algorithms for continuous detection of large-scaled industrial components. The principle of FOV-DSECPT, including finite-length inductive heating of mobile coil, the reconstruction of transient temperature response, and feature extraction, is investigated. The original thermal images cannot be used for depth analysis; thus, new data reconstruction method with good adaptivity for manual movement was proposed. The emerging BSS algorithms, including independent component analysis and nonnegative matrix factorization, are employed to process the reconstructed data. Through experimental studies, images using various features from classical and BSS algorithms were compared. The proposed FOV-DSECPT could provide a visualized and effective means for quality control and inspection of large-scaled key components in both manufacturing and service processes.

Peculiarities of brain processes during the stop and switch of motor programs among women

The purpose of the study is to establish differences in the cortical electrical activity among women under conditions of complete inhibition of a running motor program of manual movement (Stop-Signal paradigm) and under conditions of its inhibition, with subsequent switching to an alternative motor task (Stop-Change paradigm). We used the “event-related desynchronization/synchronization” (ERD/ERS) method. Indicators ERD and ERS were evaluated in the frequency range of EEG (1-35 Hz) in the frontal, central, and parietal leads. It was established that women demonstrated greater precision in conducting the task in the set with the Stop-Change paradigm than men. In both sets of the experiment, the predominance of ERS events in the range of α- and partially β1-activity of EEG is distinguished as a common regularity. Meanwhile, in different sets of the experiment, cortical electrical activity acquired certain specific features of the frequency-spatial organization that could indicate different brain processes during the response to Stop and Stop-Change stimuli. In the set of the use of the Stop-Change paradigm, a higher level of activation processes in the frontal, central, and parietal cortex areas in the EEG α- and β-activity range is generally showed among women.

Computer-aided detection of fasciculations and other movements in muscle with ultrasound: Development and clinical application

ObjectiveTo develop an automated algorithm for detecting fasciculations and other movements in muscle ultrasound videos. Fasciculation detection in muscle ultrasound is routinely performed online by observing the live videos. However, human observation limits the objective information gained. Automated detection of movement is expected to improved sensitivity and specificity and increase reliability. MethodsWe used 42 ultrasound videos from 11 neuromuscular patients for an iterative learning process between human observers and automated computer analysis, to identify muscle ultrasound movements. Two different datasets were selected from this, one to develop the algorithm and one to validate it. The outcome was compared to manual movement identification by clinicians. The algorithm also quantifies specific parameters of different movement types, to enable automated differentiation of events. ResultsThe algorithm reliably detected fasciculations. With algorithm guidance, observers found more fasciculations compared to visual analysis alone, and prescreening the videos with the algorithm saved clinicians significant time compared to reviewing full video sequences. All videos also contained other movements, especially contraction pseudotremor, which confused human interpretation in some. ConclusionsAutomated movement detection is a feasible and attractive method to screen for fasciculations in muscle ultrasound videos. SignificanceOur findings affirm the potential clinical usefulness of automated movement analysis in muscle ultrasound.

Metaphorical Action Retrospectively but Not Prospectively Alters Emotional Judgment.

Metaphorical association between vertical space and emotional valence is activated by bodily movement toward the corresponding space. Upward or downward manual movement “following” observation of emotional images is reported to alter the perceived valence as more positive or negative. This study aimed to clarify this retrospective emotional modulation. Experiment 1 investigated the effects of temporal order of emotional stimuli and manual movements. Participants performed upward, downward, or horizontal manual movements immediately before or after observation of emotional images; they then rated the valence of the image. The images were rated as more negative in downward- than in horizontal-movement conditions only when the movements followed the image observation. Upward movement showed no effect. Experiment 2 examined the effects of temporal proximity between images, movements, and ratings. The results showed that a 2-s interval either between image and movement or movement and rating nullified the retrospective effect. Bodily movement that corresponds to space–valence metaphor retrospectively, but not prospectively, alters the perceived valence of emotional stimuli. This effect requires temporal proximity between emotional stimulus, the subsequent movement, and rating of the stimulus. With respect to the lack of effect of upward–positive correspondence, anisotropy in effects of movement direction is discussed.