Assessment of Upper Limb Motor Performance Using an Interface With Haptic Feedback
Condition: Healthy
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      The purpose of the study is to test an evaluation environment based on a device that has the
      ability to provide the user with tactile (haptic) sensations. This environment will be used
      to investigate how the arm movements of a healthy person are performed, and then - at a later
      stage - to find out whether it is possible to measure changes during musculoskeletal pain.
      Electrical signals produced by the brain (called electroencephalogram or EEG) will be
      recorded by means of electrodes on the surface of the scalp (non-invasive). In addition, the
      angle of the elbow joint during movement will be measured, with the intention of using
      objective measures to aid future evidence-based clinical decision making.

      It is expected that the developed environment can be used -in the near future-, to evaluate
      the progression of pathologies associated with muscle pain, or to quantify the effectiveness
      of rehabilitation therapies.
    

Detailed description: 
      Experimental setup Volunteers will be received at the Center of Rehabilitation Engineering
      and Neuromuscular and Sensory Research (CIRINS). They will be informed, in simple terms, of
      the purpose of the project and the measurements that will be done during the session. The
      Informed Consent Form will be read to each volunteer and, if they decide to participate, they
      will be asked to sign a copy that will be filed in the Laboratory together with their contact
      information, which will be stored confidentially.

      At the beginning of the session, the volunteer will be asked to sit comfortably. The EEG
      electrodes will then be attached using a 16-electrode cap in the standard 10-20 location,
      together with the exoskeleton in the position determined by the investigator. The position of
      the camera that will be used to follow the movements of the upper limb will also be adjusted
      to ensure that the movements will be within the camera's field of view.

      Subsequently, the subject will be placed in its initial position: seated, with approximately
      45° of shoulder abduction, 10° of shoulder flexion and 90° of elbow flexion.

      Once the subject is in the proper position, they will be asked, using the implemented test
      interface, to perform the virtual nine-hole peg test (NHPT) in Cue Based and Self Paced
      variants. The volunteer will be asked to complete these tests with both hands, in order to
      assess whether there are differences in performance associated with the side with which the
      test is performed, and whether using the system is sensitive enough to detect these changes.
      The researcher conducting the experiment should record which test was performed with the
      dominant hand and which was not.

      To evaluate whether the results obtained are satisfactory, they will be compared with those
      reported for healthy individuals.

      Evaluation tests Cue-based nine-hole peg test: this test works with time or event dependent
      cues, dividing the test into several repetitions of the same task. Each trial starts at the
      same predetermined position, and consists of placing as quickly as possible a random peg in a
      random hole. This randomness is given in the order of the first nine attempts without
      repeating the peg. Then, in case of additional attempts, the order of the first nine attempts
      is repeated. In case of failure to complete an attempt within a certain time or placing the
      peg in the wrong hole, it is given as failed. The signals presented to the user are visual.
      The pegs change color from white (inactive) to red, which marks the peg that should move (but
      without giving the signal to move yet), when the peg changes to green, the movement should
      begin. Likewise, the hole into which the peg should be inserted is marked with the addition
      of a translucent light blue object. Inactive holes have no color or object inside. At the end
      of a repetition, the position of the pegs is reset. The starting point of each repetition of
      the test is marked with a translucent sphere, which is the position that the robot cursor
      must take before the next attempt. This object sees its position reflected along with the
      other elements of the virtual environment when changing hands.

      Self-paced nine-hole peg test : this test gives the user the freedom to place the desired peg
      in the desired hole at the desired speed. This test is the most similar to the original NHPT,
      and ends when all nine pegs are placed in the nine holes, giving as a result the total
      duration of the test.
    

Intervention name(s): Functional test with a haptic device
Intervention type(s): Device
Intervention description(s): Volunteers will complete two tests based on the Nine Hole Peg Test with a haptic device.
Observational model: Cohort
Time perspective: Cross-Sectional
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Healthy volunteers
      
Keywords: Haptic technology; Musculoskeletal pain; Virtual environment