Fuzzy methods in tremor assessment, prediction, and rehabilitation

Tremor is a disabling condition for a large segment of population, mainly elderly. To the present date, there are no adequate tools to diagnose and help rehabilitation of subjects with tremor, but recently there is a tremendous surge of interest in the research in the field. We report on the use of fuzzy methods in applications for rehabilitation, namely in tremor diagnosing and control. We synthesize our results regarding the characterization of the tremor by means of nonlinear dynamics techniques and fuzzy logic, and the prediction of tremor movements in view of rehabilitation purposes. Based on linear and nonlinear analysis of tremor, and using fuzzy aggregation, the fusing of tremor parameters in global functional disabling factors is proposed. Nonlinear dynamic parameters, namely correlation dimension and Lyapunov exponent is used in order to improve the assessment of tremor. The benefits of the fuzzy fused tremor parameters rely on more complete and accurate assessment of the functional impairment and on improved feedback for rehabilitation, based on the fused parameters of the tremor. Further steps in rehabilitation may require external muscular control. In turn, the control of tremor by electrical stimulation requires movement prediction. Several neural and neuro-fuzzy predictors are compared and a neuro-fuzzy predictor is presented, allowing us five-step ahead prediction, with an RMS error of the order of 10%. The benefits of the neuro-fuzzy predictor are good prediction capability, versatility, and apparently a high robustness to individual variations of the tremor. The reported research, which extended over several years and included development of sensors, equipment, and software, has been aimed to development of products. The results may also open new ways in tremor rehabilitation.