Upper limb motion intent recognition using tactile sensing

Stefanou, T.; Turton, A.; Lenz, A.; Dogramadzi, S.

Abstract

Focusing on upper limb rehabilitation of weak stroke patients, this pilot study explores how motion intent can be detected using force sensitive resistors (FSR). This is part of a bigger project which will see the actuation and control of an intent-driven exoskeleton. The limited time stroke survivors have with their therapists means that they can not often get enough training. During active-assisted training, therapists guide the paralysed limb through a movement only after detecting visual or haptic cues of the motion intent from the patient. Aiming to replicate therapist practices of recognising patients' intention to move, a pilot study of a tactile system is performed. The system will perform consistently even with patients who have low muscle strength and control ability. Currently available devices for detecting muscle activity do not offer the robustness and performance necessary; Electromyography (EMG) sensors, a well-established method, is affected by factors like skin moisture and BCI (Brain Computer Interface) has a slow response time. The proposed tactile sensing system is a simple yet robust solution both from a sensing as well as a usability point of view. Pilot experiments have been performed with a healthy subject emulating low muscle activation conditions. An overall accuracy of 80.45% is achieved when detecting forearm and arm muscle contractions and hence motion intent.

Citation

Stefanou, T., Turton, A., Lenz, A., & Dogramadzi, S. (2017). Upper limb motion intent recognition using tactile sensing. In 2017 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) (6601-6608). https://doi.org/10.1109/IROS.2017.8206573

• Conference Name: 2017 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
• Conference Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
• Start Date: Sep 24, 2017
• End Date: Sep 28, 2017
• Acceptance Date: May 2, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Dec 14, 2017
• Publication Date: Dec 14, 2017
• Deposit Date: Mar 19, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 19, 2018
• Journal: 2017 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
• Print ISSN: 2153-0866
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 2017-September
• Pages: 6601-6608
• Book Title: 2017 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
• ISBN: 9781538626832
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/IROS.2017.8206573
• Keywords: upper limb, motion, intent, recognition, tactile sensing
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/903591
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/IROS.2017.8206573
• Additional Information: Additional Information : (c) 2016 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other users, including reprinting/ republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted components of this work in other works.; Title of Conference or Conference Proceedings : IROS