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. 2021 Mar 9;21(5):1918.
doi: 10.3390/s21051918.

Visualizing and Evaluating Finger Movement Using Combined Acceleration and Contact-Force Sensors: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Hitomi Oigawa  1 , Yoshiro Musha  2 , Youhei Ishimine  2 , Sumito Kinjo  2 , Yuya Takesue  2 , Hideyuki Negoro  3   4 , Tomohiro Umeda  4
Affiliations

Visualizing and Evaluating Finger Movement Using Combined Acceleration and Contact-Force Sensors: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Hitomi Oigawa et al. Sensors (Basel). .

Abstract

The 10-s grip and release is a method to evaluate hand dexterity. Current evaluations only visually determine the presence or absence of a disability, but experienced physicians may also make other diagnoses. In this study, we investigated a method for evaluating hand movement function by acquiring and analyzing fingertip data during a 10-s grip and release using a wearable sensor that can measure triaxial acceleration and strain. The subjects were two healthy females. The analysis was performed on the x-, y-, and z-axis data, and absolute acceleration and contact force of all fingertips. We calculated the variability of the data, the number of grip and release, the frequency response, and each finger's correlation. Experiments with some grip-and-release patterns have resulted in different characteristics for each. It was suggested that this could be expressed in radar charts to intuitively know the state of grip and release. Contact-force data of each finger were found to be useful for understanding the characteristics of grip and release and improving the accuracy of calculating the number of times to grip and release. Frequency analysis suggests that knowing the periodicity of grip and release can detect unnatural grip and release and tremor states. The correlations between the fingers allow us to consider the finger's grip-and-release characteristics, considering the hand's anatomy. By taking these factors into account, it is thought that the 10-s grip-and-release test could give us a new value by objectively assessing the motor functions of the hands other than the number of times of grip and release.

Keywords: 10-s grip and release; acceleration; grip strength; healthcare; strain; wearable sensor.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
HapLog’s structure (a) sensor, (a)’ front of the sensor: the left and right accelerations were x-axis accelerations, front and back accelerations were y-axis accelerations, and up and down accelerations were z-axis accelerations, (b) bangle-type connector, and (c) calibration unit.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mounting of sensors. Two HapLogs were used, and a sensor of each HapLog was attached to the thumb.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Radar charts of A (Top: thumb, clockwise, index, middle, ring, and little fingers).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Radar charts of B (Top: thumb, clockwise, index, middle, ring, and little fingers).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Radar charts of raw contact-force data.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Frequency analysis result: The value of the highest power frequency divided by the total power and the average value and its ranking by condition.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Mean of the correlation coefficients for each of conditions 1 to 5 (A: subject A, B: subject B).
Figure 8
Figure 8
Correlation coefficient after condition 6.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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