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2008 Symposium on Haptic Interfaces for Virtual Environment and Teleoperator Systems
Haptic Simulation of Elbow Joint Spasticity
Reno, NE
March 13-March 14
ISBN: 978-1-4244-2005-6
D.I. Grow, Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore
Mengnan Wu, Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore
M.J. Locastro, Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore
S.K. Arora, Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore
A.J. Bastian, Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore
A.M. Okamura, Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore
Spasticity is a human motor system disorder in which reflexive muscle activity becomes unregulated, causing unwanted contractions that can interfere with voluntary movement. We present a simulator that replicates spastic arm dynamics for clinical training of physical therapists and neurologists. Accurate clinical assessment of spasticity is critical in the determination of patient treatment, although physical evidence of spasticity is often confused with that of related neuromuscular disorders. By repeatably simulating different levels of spastic severity, we hope to improve clinician training for rating spasticity and consequently decrease the variability of ratings between raters and within raters. Our haptic device, designed to replicate the spastic elbow of a child, uses a brake actuator and high-resolution optical encoder. Two competing spasticity models from the literature are implemented. Preliminary experiments indicate that the decreased stretch reflex threshold model is more realistic than the increased stiffness model. The simulator improves on training with patients, since spastic severity can be readily adjusted under controlled and repeatable conditions.
Index Terms:
stiffness model, haptic simulation, elbow joint spasticity, human motor system disorder, reflexive muscle activity, spastic arm dynamics, physical therapist clinical training, neurologist clinical training, patient treatment, neuromuscular disorder, brake actuator, high-resolution optical encoder, stretch reflex threshold model
Citation:
D.I. Grow, Mengnan Wu, M.J. Locastro, S.K. Arora, A.J. Bastian, A.M. Okamura, "Haptic Simulation of Elbow Joint Spasticity," haptics, pp.475-476, 2008 Symposium on Haptic Interfaces for Virtual Environment and Teleoperator Systems, 2008
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