Improving fine motor function after brain injury using gesture recognition biofeedback

Abstract

Purpose: We developed a gesture recognition biofeedback (GRB) device for improving fine motor function in persons with brain injury using surface muscle pressures of the forearm to provide real-time visual biofeedback. The GRB apparatus is easy to don by moderately impaired users and does not require precise placement of sensors. Method: The efficacy of GRB training with each subject was assessed by comparing its effectiveness against standard repetitive training without feedback. The outcome was measured using a nine-hole peg test (HPT) administered before and after each condition, in a cross-over study design. Results: GRB was shown to be effective for short-term improvement of fine motor function of 12 impaired participants, reducing their average time to completion of the HPT by 15.5% (S.D. 7.14%). In a subset of impaired subjects, this effect was significant in comparison to similar training without biofeedback (p < 0.05). Control subjects experienced negligible change in HPT time. Conclusions: This pilot study of a heterogeneous group shows that GRB may offer a simple means to help impaired users re-learn specified manual tasks.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Grasp Recognition Biofeedback (GRB) is a novel technology for biofeedback in fine motor function.

• Surface Muscle Pressure in the forearm is used to record hand activity and give simple, real-time feedback.

• In a relatively small sample, training with GRB yields short-term improvements in brain-injured subjects.

Keywords::

• Biofeedback
• brain injury
• fine motor control
• grasp
• stroke

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. N.A. Newby for comments and Dr. N. H. Kim for technical assistance.

Declaration of Interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest.