A novel upper-limb function measure derived from finger-worn sensor data collected in a free-living setting

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Science
• Human Movement Analysis

Background:

• Wrist-worn accelerometers are limited in capturing fine hand and finger movements for assessing activities of daily living (ADLs).
• Objective quantification of real-world upper limb use is crucial for clinical applications and research.
• Existing methods struggle to differentiate between gross arm and fine hand movements during ADLs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of finger-worn accelerometers for capturing both gross arm and fine hand movements.
• To develop and validate a novel measure of real-world upper-limb function using finger-worn accelerometer data.
• To assess the system's ability to identify predominant upper limb use during ADLs.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a system of finger-worn accelerometers on 18 neurologically intact adults in laboratory and free-living settings.
• Monitored subjects performing nine distinct motor tasks in a controlled environment.
• Collected data during a full day in a free-living context to assess real-world applicability.
• Derived a novel measure comparing the duration of activities between the two upper limbs.
• Administered the Waterloo Handedness Questionnaire and Fazio Laterality Inventory for convergent validity.

Main Results:

• The proposed measure accurately distinguished between unilateral and bilateral upper limb use in laboratory settings.
• The system successfully captured both gross arm and fine hand movements during motor tasks.
• In free-living conditions, the measure showed high correlation with self-reported handedness (ρ = 0.78 and ρ = 0.77).

Conclusions:

• Finger-worn accelerometers provide a valid method for assessing real-world upper-limb function, including fine motor skills.
• The derived measure demonstrates face and convergent validity for quantifying upper limb use and handedness.
• This technology overcomes limitations of wrist-worn devices, offering enhanced potential for clinical and research applications.