Digital games for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD): a systematic review

Individuos com transtornos do espectro do autismo (TEA) possuem desenvolvimento atipico nas areas cognitiva ou de aprendizagem, comunicacao e interacao social, deteccao e trato de emocoes, coordenacao motora e concentracao. O desenvolvimento de tecnologias assistivas e fundamental para melhorar a qualidade de vida destes individuos. Este estudo faz uma revisao sistematica da literatura com foco em jogos digitais usados como tecnologias assistivas para individuos com TEA. Fazendo uso da base digital IEEE Xplore, foram pesquisados estudos que continham o termo game em conjunto com termos relacionados ao TEA. A partir da busca foram encontradas 193 ocorrencias do conjunto de termos. Os artigos foram lidos e analisados, sendo selecionados os estudos que tratam de jogos digitais com foco em individuos com TEA. Foram excluidos da selecao jogos que fazem uso unicamente de hardwares especificos e que nao apresentam funcao de tecnología assistiva. Como resultado final deste estudo foram selecionados 62 artigos neste contexto, sendo que todos apresentam resultados positivos quanto ao uso dos jogos digitais na melhoria das capacidades das pessoas com TEA. Desta forma, e possivel verificar a consistencia de tal abordagem, encorajando a continuidade das pesquisas e do desenvolvimento de jogos digitais com foco em tecnología assistiva para pessoas com TEA.Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have atypical development in the areas of cognition or learning, communication and social interaction, detection and treatment of emotions, motor coordination and concentration. The development of assistive technologies is critical because they help to better the quality of life of these individuals. This study makes a systematic review of the literature focusing on digital games used as assistive technologies for individuals with ASD. Using the IEEE Xplore digital base, studies were conducted that contained the term "game" in conjunction with terms related to ASD. From the search were found 193 occurrences of the set of terms were found. The articles were read and analyzed, being the studies that deal with digital games focused on individuals with ASD. Games that only use specific hardware and not have the function of assistive technology were excluded from the selection. As a final result of this study, 62 articles were selected in this context, all of which present positive results regarding the use of digital games in improving the abilities of people with ASD. In this way, it is possible to verify the consistency of such an approach, encouraging the continuity of research and the development of digital games with a focus on assistive technology for people with ASD.Facultad de Informátic

Hybrid Neuroprosthesis for Lower Limbs

Assistive technologies have been proposed for the locomotion of people with spinal cord injury (SCI). One of them is the neuroprosthesis that arouses the interest of developers and health professionals bearing in mind the beneficial effects promoted in people with SCI. Thus, the first session of this chapter presents the principles of human motility and the impact that spinal cord injury causes on a person’s mobility. The second session presents functional electrical stimulation as a solution for the immobility of paralyzed muscles. It explains the working principles of constituent modules and main stimulatory parameters. The third session introduces the concepts and characteristics of neural prosthesis hybridization. The last two sessions present and discuss examples of hybrid neuroprostheses. Such systems employ hybrid assistive lower limb strategies to evoke functional movements in people with SCI, associating the motor effects of active and/or passive orthoses to a functional electrical stimulation (FES) system. Examples of typical applications of FES in rehabilitation are discussed

TECNOLOGIA ASSISTIVA LÚDICA PARA GANHO DE FUNCIONALIDADE

A intervenção fisioterapêutica nos casos de traumatismo crânio-encefálico deve ocorrer o mais precocemente possível, para que os resultados sejam mais efetivos. Desenvolveu-se uma maleta lúdica de atividades, visando melhora cognitiva, ganho de força e coordenação motora. Confeccionada em madeira, com uso de blocos de espumas, argolas, bolinhas de gude e parafusos com porcas de encaixe. A validação experimental envolveu uma paciente com TCE grave, com comprometimentos motores, cognitivo preservado e em atendimento domiciliar. A avaliação ocorreu com uso do MEEM, da escala Medical Research Council e dos testes index-nariz e diadococinesia. Efetuou-se o tratamento com o uso da maleta e a reavaliação da paciente por meio dos mesmos instrumentos. Após a intervenção observou-se que a atividade realizada com uso da tecnologia assistiva lúdica desenvolvida auxiliou no ganho de força, coordenação e cognição da paciente, em decorrência dos estímulos neurológicos gerados

EVALUATION OF THE PUERPERAL BREAST THROUGH THERMOGRAPHY: A CASE REPORT

Objetivo: analisar a temperatura da mama puerperal utilizando termografia por infravermelho.Método: estudo realizado no Banco de Leite Humano de um Hospital de Curitiba em 2011. Selecionou-se aleatoriamente uma lactante com ingurgitamento bilateral nos quadrantes externos das mamas, e inspecionou-se a temperatura.Resultados: encontrou-se um lobo mamário macio com assimetria térmica de 1,5ºC, comparado à região contralateral, mas não se identificou assimetria térmica na temperatura geral entre as mamas.Conclusão: este caso sugere que assimetria térmica na mama puerperal está relacionada ao volume de leite nos lobos e não a disfunções ou patologias nesses lobos. O estudo abre perspectivas para aprofundamento da compreensão da fisiologia lactacional com a ampliação do grupo amostral avaliado nesta pesquisa. A termografia é uma técnica adequada às lactantes, mas requer sala apropriada, tempo para aclimatação e conhecimento da anatomia mamária.Objective: to analyze puerperal breast temperature using infrared thermography.Method: study performed at the Human Milk Bank of a Hospital in Curitiba, Brazil. A lactating mother with bilateral engorgement in the external breast quadrants was randomly selected and the temperature was measured.Results: A soft mammary lobe was found, with thermal asymmetry of 1.5ºC, compared to the contralateral region, however no thermal asymmetry was identified in the general temperature between the breasts.Conclusion: this case suggests that thermal asymmetry in the puerperal breast is related to the volume of milk in the lobes and not to dysfunctions or pathologies in these lobes. The study indicates possibilities for deepening the understanding of lactational physiology with the amplification of the sample group evaluated in this study. Thermography is a technique suitable for lactating mothers, however requires an appropriate room, time for acclimatization and knowledge of the mammary anatomy.Objetivo: Analizar la temperatura de la mama puerperal utilizando termografía infrarroja.Método: Estudio realizado en Banco de Leche Humana de hospital de Curitiba en 2011. Se seleccionó aleatoriamente una lactante con ingurgitación bilateral en cuadrantes externos de las mamas, y se verificó la temperatura.Resultados: Se halló un lóbulo mamario blando con asimetría térmica de 1,5ºC comparado con la zona contralateral, no identificándose asimetría térmica en temperatura general entre mamas.Conclusión: Este caso sugiere que la asimetría térmica en la mama puerperal está relacionada con el volumen de leche en los lóbulos, y no con disfunciones o patologías en dichos lóbulos. El estudio ofrece perspectivas para profundizar la comprensión de la fisiología lactante, ampliando el grupo muestral evaluado en este estudio. La termografía es una técnica adecuada para las lactantes, aunque requiere de ámbito adecuado, tiempo de aclimatación y conocimiento de la anatomía mamaria

Advances and perspectives of mechanomyography

INTRODUCTION: The evaluation of muscular tissue condition can be accomplished with mechanomyography (MMG), a technique that registers intramuscular mechanical waves produced during a fiber's contraction and stretching that are sensed or interfaced on the skin surface. OBJECTIVE: Considering the scope of MMG measurements and recent advances involving the technique, the goal of this paper is to discuss mechanomyography updates and discuss its applications and potential future applications. METHODS: Forty-three MMG studies were published between the years of 1987 and 2013. RESULTS: MMG sensors are developed with different technologies such as condenser microphones, accelerometers, laser-based instruments, etc. Experimental protocols that are described in scientific publications typically investigated the condition of the vastus lateralis muscle and used sensors built with accelerometers, third and fourth order Butterworth filters, 5-100Hz frequency bandpass, signal analysis using Root Mean Square (RMS) (temporal), Median Frequency (MDF) and Mean Power Frequency (MPF) (spectral) features, with epochs of 1 s. CONCLUSION: Mechanomyographic responses obtained in isometric contractions differ from those observed during dynamic contractions in both passive and functional electrical stimulation evoked movements. In the near future, MMG features applied to biofeedback closed-loop systems will help people with disabilities, such as spinal cord injury or limb amputation because they may improve both neural and myoelectric prosthetic control. Muscular tissue assessment is a new application area enabled by MMG; it can be useful in evaluating the muscular tonus in anesthetic blockade or in pathologies such as myotonic dystrophy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and disorders including dysphagia, myalgia and spastic hypertonia. New research becomes necessary to improve the efficiency of MMG systems and increase their application in rehabilitation, clinical and other health areas304384401CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFINANCIADORA DE ESTUDOS E PROJETOS - FINEPsem informaçã

Ação do ultrassom modo contínuo no aumento do transporte de azul de metileno em ovos de codorna "Nothura maculosa": modelo experimental

A radiação ultrassônica é um recurso fisioterapêutico utilizado para acelerar a reorganização de um tecido que tenha sofrido algum tipo de dano. O propósito deste estudo foi verificar o comportamento da permeabilidade em ovos de codorna (Nothura maculosa) sob a aplicação do ultrassom (US) subaquático em solução de azul de metileno (AM). O estudo foi composto por 3 grupos: (A) controle com 2 ovos; (B) irradiado com US e, posteriormente, aberto para controle fotográfico e histográfico com 3 ovos; e (C), também com 3 ovos, irradiado com US e somente aberto após 24 horas. A passagem do AM obteve seu transporte potencializado, atingindo, assim, o objetivo proposto por este estudo. Os ovos que passaram pela irradiação de US tiveram picos de pixels maiores nas faixas que compreendem o azul, já o grupo controle teve seu pico nas faixas de pixels relacionadas próximas à cor preta. A placa VIII (grupo C), que foi irradiada por US e mantida no AM por 24 horas, teve seu pico na faixa 128 com 1728 pixels, sendo o  mais próximo da faixa de pico do  histograma do copo de AM (faixa número 187 com 2265 pixels). Conclui-se que o ovo de codorna banhado por AM apresenta uma coloração azulada, devido ao aumento da permeabilidade pela aplicação do US

Breathing Monitoring and Pattern Recognition with Wearable Sensors

This chapter introduces the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system, and the reasons for measuring breathing events, particularly, using wearable sensors. Respiratory monitoring is vital including detection of sleep apnea and measurement of respiratory rate. The automatic detection of breathing patterns is equally important in other respiratory rehabilitation therapies, for example, magnetic resonance exams for respiratory triggered imaging, and synchronized functional electrical stimulation. In this context, the goal of many research groups is to create wearable devices able to monitor breathing activity continuously, under natural physiological conditions in different environments. Therefore, wearable sensors that have been used recently as well as the main signal processing methods for breathing analysis are discussed. The following sensor technologies are presented: acoustic, resistive, inductive, humidity, acceleration, pressure, electromyography, impedance, and infrared. New technologies open the door to future methods of noninvasive breathing analysis using wearable sensors associated with machine learning techniques for pattern detection

DEVICE FOR IN VITRO WEAR ANALYSIS OF BIOMATERIALS IN THE HINGED PROSTHESIS CONFIGURATION

We have developed a device that, coupled to the tribometer, allows movement simulation of the hinged type knee prosthesis. Two tests were performed using the samples designed and one test without the device using a pin-on-flat configuration. For the first and the third tests, the metallic samples were used as machined while for the second one they were electrolytically polished. The test parameters were running length of 0.663 rad and compression load of 22.35 N. The Hertzian contact stress of 15.93 MPa obtained between the samples designed is close to that for the real prosthesis. The measured volumetric wear revealed the influence of roughness of the counterpart surface on the wear behavior. The device has allowed its coupling to the tribometer without any interference on its functioning thus making a contribution to the scientific investigations related to wear behavior of a couple of different biomaterials

Neuromuscular fatigue detection by mechanomyography in people with complete spinal cord injury

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a method of activating paralyzed muscles. During FES application, fast muscle fatigue can occur (the inability of stimulated muscles to generate force). Therefore, it is beneficial to estimate the muscle fatigue for FES closed-loop control for walking to prevent unexpected muscle collapse and adapt the FES strategy in real time. Mechanomyography (MMG) is a noninvasive technique for registering myofiber vibrations, representing an ideal candidate for the provision of feedback. The hypothesis was that MMG signals could effectively detect muscle fatigue and, thus, provide feedback