Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 13, 2026

Spatial Temporal Analysis of Fieldwise Flow in Microvasculature
09:39

Spatial Temporal Analysis of Fieldwise Flow in Microvasculature

Published on: November 18, 2019

6.3K

Temporal-spatial reach parameters derived from inertial sensors correlate to neurodevelopment in toddlers born

Katelyn Cahill-Rowley1, Jessica Rose2

  • 1Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Motion & Gait Analysis Laboratory, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.

Journal of Biomechanics
|March 10, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Very-low-birth-weight preterm toddlers show distinct upper-limb reaching patterns compared to typically-developing peers. These temporal-spatial reach parameters may serve as early indicators of motor function in at-risk infants.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric motor development
  • Biomechanics of reaching
  • Developmental pediatrics

Background:

  • Upper-limb function assessment is crucial for children with motor impairments.
  • Temporal-spatial reach parameters are established indicators of motor function.
  • These parameters have not been previously quantified in toddler populations, particularly those at risk for motor impairment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantitatively characterize temporal-spatial reach parameters in typically-developing (TD) and very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) preterm toddlers.
  • To investigate the relationship between reach parameters and fine motor skills in VLBW preterm toddlers.
  • To explore the potential of these parameters as a clinical assessment tool for early motor function.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 47 VLBW preterm toddlers (<1500g birth-weight; ≤32 weeks gestation) and 22 TD toddlers.
  • Assessed reaching at 18-22 months corrected age using wrist-worn inertial sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers) and high-speed video.
  • Derived reach time, path length, velocity, and acceleration parameters; VLBW group also received the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-3rd Edition (BSID-III).

Main Results:

  • VLBW preterm toddlers exhibited significant differences in reach path length, velocity at contact, peak velocity, and acceleration compared to TD toddlers.
  • Among preterm toddlers, shorter reach time, reduced time to peak velocity, and increased peak acceleration correlated with higher BSID-III fine motor scores.
  • Preterm toddlers with below-average fine motor scores displayed significantly higher peak and contact velocities.

Conclusions:

  • Preterm toddlers demonstrate substantial alterations in temporal-spatial reach parameters compared to their typically-developing peers.
  • Specific reach parameters, including time to peak velocity and peak acceleration, are indicative of fine motor function in VLBW infants.
  • These quantified reach parameters show promise as a sensitive and objective clinical assessment for early detection of motor impairments.

Keywords:
Inertial sensorsMotor impairmentReachToddlerVery low birth-weight

More Related Videos

A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting14:43

A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting

Published on: January 12, 2018

13.6K
Preterm EEG: A Multimodal Neurophysiological Protocol19:32

Preterm EEG: A Multimodal Neurophysiological Protocol

Published on: February 18, 2012

29.1K

Related Concept Videos

The Born-Haber Cycle02:44

The Born-Haber Cycle

Lattice Energy 
25.5K
Correlations02:20

Correlations

Correlation means that there is a relationship between two or more variables (such as ice cream consumption and crime), but this relationship does not necessarily imply cause and effect. When two variables are correlated, it simply means that as one variable changes, so does the other. We can measure correlation by calculating a statistic known as a correlation coefficient. A correlation coefficient is a number from -1 to +1 that indicates the strength and direction of the relationship between...
36.6K
Inertial Frames of Reference01:03

Inertial Frames of Reference

Newton’s first law is usually considered to be a statement about reference frames. It provides a method for identifying a special type of reference frame: the inertial reference frame. In principle, we can make the net force on a body zero. If its velocity relative to a given frame is constant, then that frame is said to be inertial. So, by definition, an inertial reference frame is a reference frame where Newton's first law holds valid. Newton's first law applies to objects with...
8.9K
Non-inertial Frames of Reference01:27

Non-inertial Frames of Reference

A reference frame accelerating or decelerating relative to an inertial frame is a non-inertial frame. To help understand this, consider what taking off in an airplane, turning a corner in a car, riding a merry-go-round, and the circular motion of a tropical cyclone all have in common. All these systems are accelerating, decelerating, or rotating relative to the Earth; hence, they all are non-inertial frames. All these systems exhibit inertial forces, which merely seem to arise from motion,...
7.2K
Correlation and Causation01:27

Correlation and Causation

Statistical tests can calculate whether there is a relationship, or correlation, between independent and dependent variables. An indirect relationship of the variables signifies a correlation, while a direct relationship shows causation. If it is determined that no connection exists between the variables, then the correlation is a coincidence.
Correlation versus Causation
If the dependent variable increases or decreases when the independent variable increases, there is a positive or negative...
43.0K
Correlation01:09

Correlation

In statistics, two variables are said to be correlated if the values of one variable are associated with the other variable. Depending on the relationship between two variables, correlation can be of three types– positive correlation, negative correlation, and zero correlation.
Two variables, for example, a and b, are said to be positively correlated if both variables move in the same direction. In other words, a positive correlation exists between two variables, a and b, if:
15.2K