Development of a new haptic perception instrument: A pilot study

Abstract

Objective: Hand sensory tests do not consider distinct physiological receptors, nor detect normal range variations concerning developmental or pathological changes. We developed an instrument with a set of tests with timing and scoring for assessing haptic perception, which is the interaction between sensory and motor systems, in surfaces exploration, by moving hands. Method: Firstly, group meetings were set for test/manual conception and materials testing. The test/manual were submitted to 30 reviewers in 3 stages (10 reviewers on each stage). Results: The Hand Haptic Perception Instrument (HHPI) evaluates hand sensorimotor performance on six domains: depression, elevation, texture, compressibility, weight (barognosis) and form perception. Each domain requires specific materials. Score ranges from 0 to 57, being 0 the worst rating. Conclusion: This methodological process allowed the development of six domains and instructions to assess haptic perception. This version of HHPI is a pilot model. Further studies will determine reliability and normality ranges.