Hand Measurement System Based on Haptic and Vision Devices towards Post-Stroke Patients

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Technology
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Traditional hand diagnostics using manual tools like goniometers are time-consuming, measuring only one joint at a time.
• Accurate measurement of hand kinematics and joint limits is crucial for diagnostics and rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an automated system for comprehensive hand parameter measurement.
• To assess the accuracy and repeatability of the system compared to gold standards.

Main Methods:

• Development of a system integrating a vision system, a haptic device, and a web-based user interface.
• Utilizing homogeneous-matrix-based notation for parameter presentation.
• Conducting a study with five healthy participants to compare system measurements with manual methods.

Main Results:

• The vision system accurately measured finger kinematic structure (4.5 mm mean difference to calipers) and showed good repeatability (SD up to 0.7 mm).
• Joint angle limit measurements had a larger mean difference (23.6º) compared to goniometers.
• Haptic device force measurements demonstrated good repeatability (SD of 0.7 N).

Conclusions:

• The developed system offers a unified approach for measuring key hand parameters, simplifying diagnostics.
• The system shows promise for precise rehabilitation, particularly for post-stroke patients, with potential for therapist-guided control and visualization.