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Motion-based technology to support motor skills screening in developing children: A scoping review
Benoit Bossavit1, Inmaculada Arnedillo-Sánchez2
1School of Computer Science & Statistics, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; School of Computer Science & Programming Languages, Universidad de Málaga, Spain.
Insights
Motion-based technology (MBT) can aid early motor skill screening in children, but current methods detect only half of typical motor skills. Further research into multimodal sensor approaches is needed to improve developmental assessments.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Development
- Biomedical Engineering
- Motor Control
Background:
- Motor skill acquisition is crucial for children's cognitive development.
- Early detection of motor development delays is often limited.
- Motion-based technology (MBT) offers potential for improved motor screening.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the use and potential of MBT in supporting and increasing access to motor screening for developing children.
- To identify current applications and limitations of MBT in pediatric motor assessment.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted across six databases following PRISMA guidelines.
- Studies involving MBT recognizing children's motor skill execution were selected and assessed.
- Analysis focused on MBT types, detected motor skills, application purposes, and target age groups.
Main Results:
- 164 studies were analyzed to understand MBT applications in motor skill detection.
- Depth sensors are the most common MBT, effective for children aged 2 and above.
- Current MBT covers approximately 50% of motor skills typically assessed for developmental screening.
Conclusions:
- A significant gap exists in integrating MBT into standard motor skill development screening and assessment.
- Existing MBT primarily utilizes depth sensors, with limitations in the scope of detected motor skills.
- Multimodal sensor approaches are recommended to enhance health professionals' capabilities and expand early detection programs.
Background:
Acquiring motor skills is fundamental for children's development since it is linked to cognitive development. However, access to early detection of motor development delays is limited.
Aim:
This review explores the use and potential of motion-based technology (MBT) as a complement to support and increase access to motor screening in developing children.
Methods:
Six databases were searched following the PRISMA guidelines to search, select, and assess relevant works where MBT recognised the execution of children's motor skills.
Results:
164 studies were analysed to understand the type of MBT used, the motor skills detected, the purpose of using MBT and the age group targeted.
Conclusions:
There is a gap in the literature aiming to integrate MBT in motor skills development screening and assessment processes. Depth sensors are the prevailing technology offering the largest detection range for children from age 2. Nonetheless, the motor skills detected by MBT represent about half of the motor skills usually observed to screen and assess motor development. Overall, research in this field is underexplored. The use of multimodal approaches, combining various motion-based sensors, may support professionals in the health domain and increase access to early detection programmes.
