Clinical assessment, objectivity, and the ubiquitous laws of instrumentation

With the Carville approach to interdisciplinary rehabilitation, special emphasis is placed on improved objective measurement of human function. This article defines essential elements for objective measurement, based on the experiences of a biomedical engineer on the rehabilitation team. Applied to manmade system, these elements are straightforward. Applied to living systems, these elements present difficulties, and special consideration must be given to the methods of measurement applied in the clinical setting. The rules for successful instrumentation and measurement are discussed with respect to the hand therapist's continuing challenge to measure the threshold to tactile sensation.