Measurements by A LEAP-Based Virtual Glove for the hand rehabilitation

Hand rehabilitation is fundamental after stroke or surgery. Traditional rehabilitation requires a therapist and implies high costs, stress for the patient, and subjective evaluation of the therapy effectiveness. Alternative approaches, based on mechanical and tracking-based gloves, can be really effective when used in virtual reality (VR) environments. Mechanical devices are often expensive, cumbersome, patient specific and hand specific, while tracking-based devices are not affected by these limitations but, especially if based on a single tracking sensor, could suffer from occlusions. In this paper, the implementation of a multi-sensors approach, the Virtual Glove (VG), based on the simultaneous use of two orthogonal LEAP motion controllers, is described. The VG is calibrated and static positioning measurements are compared with those collected with an accurate spatial positioning system. The positioning error is lower than 6 mm in a cylindrical region of interest of radius 10 cm and height 21 cm. Real-time hand tracking measurements are also performed, analysed and reported. Hand tracking measurements show that VG operated in real-time (60 fps), reduced occlusions, and managed two LEAP sensors correctly, without any temporal and spatial discontinuity when skipping from one sensor to the other. A video demonstrating the good performance of VG is also collected and presented in the Supplementary Materials. Results are promising but further work must be done to allow the calculation of the forces exerted by each finger when constrained by mechanical tools (e.g., peg-boards) and for reducing occlusions when grasping these tools. Although the VG is proposed for rehabilitation purposes, it could also be used for tele-operation of tools and robots, and for other VR applications

Wearable and IoT technologies application for physical rehabilitation

This research consists in the development an IoT Physical Rehabilitation solution based on wearable devices, combining a set of smart gloves and smart headband for use in natural interactions with a set of VR therapeutic serious games developed on the Unity 3D gaming platform. The system permits to perform training sessions for hands and fingers motor rehabilitation. Data acquisition is performed by Arduino Nano Microcontroller computation platform with ADC connected to the analog measurement channels materialized by piezo-resistive force sensors and connected to an IMU module via I2C. Data communication is performed using the Bluetooth wireless communication protocol. The smart headband, designed to be used as a first- person-controller in game scenes, will be responsible for collecting the patient's head rotation value, this parameter will be used as the player's avatar head rotation value, approaching the user and the virtual environment in a semi-immersive way. The acquired data are stored and processed on a remote server, which will help the physiotherapist to evaluate the patients' performance around the different physical activities during a rehabilitation session, using a Mobile Application developed for the configuration of games and visualization of results. The use of serious games allows a patient with motor impairments to perform exercises in a highly interactive and non-intrusive way, based on different scenarios of Virtual Reality, contributing to increase the motivation during the rehabilitation process. The system allows to perform an unlimited number of training sessions, making possible to visualize historical values and compare the results of the different performed sessions, for objective evolution of rehabilitation outcome. Some metrics associated with upper limb exercises were also considered to characterize the patient’s movement during the session.Este trabalho de pesquisa consiste no desenvolvimento de uma solução de Reabilitação Física IoT baseada em dispositivos de vestuário, combinando um conjunto de luvas inteligentes e uma fita-de-cabeça inteligente para utilização em interações naturais com um conjunto de jogos terapêuticos sérios de Realidade Virtual desenvolvidos na plataforma de jogos Unity 3D. O sistema permite realizar sessões de treino para reabilitação motora de mãos e dedos. A aquisição de dados é realizada pela plataforma de computação Arduino utilizando um Microcontrolador Nano com ADC (Conversor Analógico-Digital) conectado aos canais de medição analógicos materializados por sensores de força piezo-resistivos e a um módulo IMU por I2C. A comunicação de dados é realizada usando o protocolo de comunicação sem fio Bluetooth. A fita-de-cabeça inteligente, projetada para ser usada como controlador de primeira pessoa nos cenários de jogo, será responsável por coletar o valor de rotação da cabeça do paciente, esse parâmetro será usado como valor de rotação da cabeça do avatar do jogador, aproximando o utilizador e o ambiente virtual de forma semi-imersiva. Os dados adquiridos são armazenados e processados num servidor remoto, o que ajudará o fisioterapeuta a avaliar o desempenho dos pacientes em diferentes atividades físicas durante uma sessão de reabilitação, utilizando uma Aplicação Móvel desenvolvido para configuração de jogos e visualização de resultados. A utilização de jogos sérios permite que um paciente com deficiências motoras realize exercícios de forma altamente interativa e não intrusiva, com base em diferentes cenários de Realidade Virtual, contribuindo para aumentar a motivação durante o processo de reabilitação. O sistema permite realizar um número ilimitado de sessões de treinamento, possibilitando visualizar valores históricos e comparar os resultados das diferentes sessões realizadas, para a evolução objetiva do resultado da reabilitação. Algumas métricas associadas aos exercícios dos membros superiores também foram consideradas para caracterizar o movimento do paciente durante a sessão

Establishing a Framework for the development of Multimodal Virtual Reality Interfaces with Applicability in Education and Clinical Practice

The development of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) content with multiple sources of both input and output has led to countless contributions in a great many number of fields, among which medicine and education. Nevertheless, the actual process of integrating the existing VR/AR media and subsequently setting it to purpose is yet a highly scattered and esoteric undertaking. Moreover, seldom do the architectures that derive from such ventures comprise haptic feedback in their implementation, which in turn deprives users from relying on one of the paramount aspects of human interaction, their sense of touch. Determined to circumvent these issues, the present dissertation proposes a centralized albeit modularized framework that thus enables the conception of multimodal VR/AR applications in a novel and straightforward manner. In order to accomplish this, the aforesaid framework makes use of a stereoscopic VR Head Mounted Display (HMD) from Oculus Rift©, a hand tracking controller from Leap Motion©, a custom-made VR mount that allows for the assemblage of the two preceding peripherals and a wearable device of our own design. The latter is a glove that encompasses two core modules in its innings, one that is able to convey haptic feedback to its wearer and another that deals with the non-intrusive acquisition, processing and registering of his/her Electrocardiogram (ECG), Electromyogram (EMG) and Electrodermal Activity (EDA). The software elements of the aforementioned features were all interfaced through Unity3D©, a powerful game engine whose popularity in academic and scientific endeavors is evermore increasing. Upon completion of our system, it was time to substantiate our initial claim with thoroughly developed experiences that would attest to its worth. With this premise in mind, we devised a comprehensive repository of interfaces, amid which three merit special consideration: Brain Connectivity Leap (BCL), Ode to Passive Haptic Learning (PHL) and a Surgical Simulator

Tailored virtual reality and mobile application for motor rehabilitation

The present work presents a measurement system and methodology for hand and finger motor rehabilitation. The interaction with serious games developed in Unity 3D game engine is performed using a natural user interface based on Leap Motion Controller. The storage and management of data related to patient identification, established training plans and training results in LeaPhysio system, is realized in a client server architecture. The stored information can be accessed through a developed LeaPhysio App for Android OS platform, which also allows configuration of training plan by a therapist. Different metrics were included in the measurement system to provide to users the possibility to evaluate in an objective way the motor rehabilitation. The tests have shown that the developed system can provide accurate data on hand and finger movements in a meaningful and motivating exercise environment.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Técnicas y métodos para el seguimiento de la evolución de la habilidad motriz fina de miembro superior : revisión de la literatura

Introduction: This review article is the product of research on the methods, techniques and devices used in the measurement of fine motor skills of upper limbs and its respective evolution, developed at Universidad del Cauca in 2018. Problem: Objective measurement of the evolution of upper limb motor skills in the rehabilitation processes.  Objective: To identify the conventional techniques and electronic devices used in the measurement of the evolution of upper limb motor ability.  Methodology: Four scientific databases were reviewed in addition to the Google Scholar search engine. The keywords used for the search were: "fine motor skills", "hand measurement", "hand rehabilitation"and "hand function", among others.  Results: Approximately 3840 articles related to the subject were found. When applying the exclusion criteria, the article number to be revised was reduced to 63, which were analyzed in the present review. Conclusions: The tools applied by health professionals are convenient due to their rapid execution and easy access, however they can be subject to human error since they depend on the experience of the user. Electronic systems present objective measurements, however, their complexity and cost are high. Originality: This work presents information on the therapeutic techniques and technological devices used, in certain pathologies, for the evaluation of upper limb motor ability. Limitations: Not all articles analyzed have a detailed description of the people in which the studies were conducted.Introducción: El artículo es producto de una investigación sobre los métodos, técnicas y dispositivos utilizados en la medición de la habilidad motriz fina de miembro superior y su respectiva evolución, desarrollada en la Universidad del Cauca en el año 2018. Problema: Medición objetiva la evolución de la habilidad motriz de miembro superior en los procesos de rehabilitación. Objetivo: Identificar las técnicas convencionales y dispositivos electrónicos utilizados en la medición de la evolución de la habilidad motriz de miembro superior. Metodología: Se revisaron cuatro bases de datos científicas además del motor de búsqueda Google Académico. Para la búsqueda se utilizaron las palabras clave: “fine motor skills”, “hand measurement”, “hand rehabilitation”, “hand function”, entre otras. Resultados: Se encontraron aproximadamente 3840 artículos relacionados con la temática. Al aplicar los criterios de exclusión el número de artículo a revisar se redujo a 63, los cuales fueron analizados en la presente revisión. Conclusiones: Las herramientas aplicadas por profesionales de la salud son convenientes debido a su rápida ejecución y fácil acceso, sin embargo pueden estar sujetas al error humano puesto que dependen de la experiencia de quien las utiliza. Los sistemas electrónicos, presentan mediciones objetivas, no obstante, su complejidad y costo es elevado. Originalidad: Este trabajo presenta información sobre las técnicas terapéuticas y dispositivos tecnológicos, utilizados en ciertas patologías, para la evaluación de la habilidad motriz de miembro superior. Limitaciones: No todos los artículos analizados cuentan con una descripción detallada de las personas en las que los estudios fueron realizados