Instructions from an Active Robotic Hand Increase Body Ownership and Task Clarity

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Robotics

Background:

• Home-based rehabilitation requires effective instruction methods.
• Current methods like video demonstrations may lack engagement and personalization.
• Improving patient embodiment and memory retention is crucial for successful rehabilitation outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a low-cost, 3D-printed robotic hand for delivering rehabilitation exercise instructions.
• To evaluate the sense of embodiment experienced by users interacting with the robotic hand.
• To compare the effectiveness of robotic hand instructions versus video instructions on memory retention of exercises.

Main Methods:

• Developed an inexpensive 3D-printed robotic hand controlled by open-source computer vision.
• Conducted two within-subject crossover studies with 30 healthy participants.
• Assessed embodiment and compared short-term memory retention of movement sequences between robotic and video instructions.

Main Results:

• Participants reported a higher sense of embodiment with the active robotic hand.
• Significantly better short-term memory retention for medium and difficult finger movements was observed with robotic hand instruction compared to video.
• Statistical significance was achieved for memory retention ($F_{1,56}=4.047, p<.05$ and $F_{1,56}=19.463, p<.05$).

Conclusions:

• The 3D-printed robotic hand is a viable tool for delivering rehabilitation exercise instructions.
• This technology can enhance user embodiment and improve memory retention for rehabilitation exercises.
• The findings suggest potential for improving remote therapy and strengthening bodily ownership in rehabilitation, particularly for stroke patients.