Abstract² This paper presents a new tool for assessment and therapy in post-stroke upper-limb rehabilitation and a new wireless sensor technology to enhance rehabilitation robotics based on the ZigBee network of wearable Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) and Surface Electromyography (sEMG) sensor nodes. These sensor nodes will allow the measurement of kinematic and electrical muscle activity of patients in continuous therapy motion over all body segments as a Body Sensor Network (BSN). The IMU Sensor design was based on a direction-cosine-matrix DCM. The system validation was achieved with an optical motion tracking system in which cameras and IMU sensors recorded upper limb positions simultaneously during a standard gesture of reaching and grasping. The comparison between elbow flexion-extension angle in reaching and grasping movements obtained from both techniques shows equivalence. The analysis of IMU data signals for several movements demonstrates high repeatability intra and inter-subjects.
Previous research has shown that an increase in hamstring activation may compensate for anterior tibial transalation (ATT) in patients with anterior cruciate ligament deficient knee (ACLd); however, the effects of this compensation still remain unclear. The goals of this study were to quantify the activation of the hamstring muscles needed to compensate the ATT in ACLd knee during the complete gait cycle and to evaluate the effect of this compensation on quadriceps activation and joint contact forces. A two dimensional model of the knee was used, which included the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joints, knee ligaments, the medial capsule and two muscles units. Simulations were conducted to determine the ATT in healthy and ACLd knee and the hamstring activation needed to correct the abnormal ATT to normal levels (100% compensation) and to 50% compensation. Then, the quadriceps activation and the joint contact forces were calculated. Results showed that 100% compensation would require hamstring and quadriceps activations larger than their maximum isometric force, and would generate an increment in the peak contact force at the tibiofemoral (115%) and patellofemoral (48%) joint with respect to the healthy knee. On the other hand, 50% compensation would require less force generated by the muscles (less than 0.85 of maximum isometric force) and smaller contact forces (peak tibiofemoral contact force increased 23% and peak patellofemoral contact force decreased 7.5% with respect to the healthy knee). Total compensation of ATT by means of increased hamstring activity is possible; however, partial compensation represents a less deleterious strategy.
Reliability and acceptable quality of 2D videography data, acquired in this work, show that it has clear advantages for its wide application in the dental office due to simplicity and low cost for maximum opening measurement given the usefulness of this parameter in the detection of temporomandibular disorders.
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