Enhanced assessment of limb neuro-mechanics via a haptic display

Abstract

Current state-of-the-art quantitative assessments of abnormal neuro-mechanics (e.g., spasticity, rigidity, dystonia) require sophisticated measurement systems that, together with the lengthiness of the data acquisition, make these approaches impractical for the clinical setting. Our long-term goal is to create a tool that enhances the capability of therapists to diagnose abnormal neuro-mechanics without the need of lengthy procedures and sophisticated equipment. Towards this direction, we present a haptic display of abnormal limb neuro-mechanics. This haptic display can be used as a training device for clinicians to understand the causality of the haptic sensation associated with neurological impairments and abnormal biomechanics during manipulation of a patients' limb. Other uses include the testing of operational research algorithms to maximize the exchange of haptic information, reproducing conditions of human-human interaction, and a test bed for developing novel assessment techniques and targeted interventions. Experimental results support the hypothesis that the best assessment of abnormalities can be obtained via specific manipulation strategies.