MRI/Dev.: New Instrumentation to Measure Upper Extremity Motion for Research and Teaching in Rehabilitation Science, Bioengineering and Robotics
Project Proposed: This project, developing new instrumentation for the study of upper extremity activity in humans and mobile robots, aims to assist people with impaired extremity function in maintaining independence and employment. The work integrates independent advances in quantitative data collection through haptic technologies, wireless myoelectric sensors, motion capture technologies, and computer vision to solve some of the challenges in designing robots that extend capabilities in friendly and hostile environments. Since a primary shortcoming of existing instrumentation for upper extremity activity is lack of quantitative data collection that does not interfere with natural movement, a newly developed wireless instrumentation quantifies upper extremity motion to assess requirements for human function and robotic activity. The instrumentation captures and integrates in real time kinematic, kinetic (force and torques data), kinesthetic (proprioceptive), myoelectric data, and computer vision and motion analysis data, specifically integrating force data collected from haptic devices, 6-degrees-of-freedom motion data collected from wireless electromagnetic sensors ("flock of birds"), myoelectric data from strategically placed surface electrodes, and motion analysis data collected from digitized visual data. Thus, the project enables . Combining existing instrumentation to permit real time feedback to subjects or robots to correct movement patterns, extinguish muscle activity, and/or reduce force; . Quantifying stereotypic upper extremity activities ranging from a fluid, continuous pointing task to a high torque power grip activity; . Breaking movement patterns and their associated forces into simpler components or primitives (an approach that has been very effective in providing useful graphic-user interface in current haptic research); and . Assessing which combinations are most significant to completer various tasks. The instrumentation also allows exploring tele-control of force feedback to explore feasibility of its use in robotic control and assistive technology for people with upper extremity impairments, particularly for robots in hostile environments and for people in remote areas.
Broader Impact: The instrumentation will also be used for supporting existing and new courses on motion analysis, human-machine computer science, haptics and rehabilitation science. Moreover, it contributes to interdisciplinary collaborations within the institution and with a small business. The infrastructure is likely to be commercialized, and the research results disseminated through usual venues.
