Development of a home-based wrist range-of-motion training system for children with cerebral palsy

Abstract

This paper presents the proof-of-concept of a home-based gamified wrist rehabilitation training system for children with cerebral palsy (CCP). We describe the user-centered design process of this system, which is composed of a wrist-worn inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a tangible device with an embedded IMU. The system employs a quaternion-based algorithm for automatic real-time estimation of the range of motion (RoM) covered by adduction/abduction and flexion/extension motions of the wrist. Experimental validation shows that the RoM can be determined with sufficient accuracy to control a game and that the algorithm is applicable in CCP. A serious game, which uses the presented algorithm and enables feedback as well as motivating stimuli, is implemented and evaluated by physiotherapists.