Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the concept of a wearable\r\ndevice and, specifically: 1) to design and implement analysis procedures to extract\r\nclinically relevant information from data recorded using the wearable system; 2) to\r\nevaluate the design and placement of the strain sensors.\r\nMethods: Different kinds of trunk movements performed by a healthy subject were\r\nacquired as a comprehensive data set of 639 multivariate time series and off-line\r\nanalyzed. The space of multivariate signals recorded by the strain sensors was\r\nreduced by means of Principal Components Analysis, and compared with the\r\nunivariate angles contemporaneously measured by an inertial sensor.\r\nResults: Very high correlation between the two kinds of signals showed the\r\nusefulness of the garment for the quantification of the movements� range of motion\r\nthat caused at least one strain sensor to lengthen or shorten accordingly. The\r\nrepeatability of signals was also studied. The layout of a next garment prototype was\r\ndesigned, with additional strain sensors placed across the front and hips, able to\r\nmonitor a wider set of trunk motor tasks.\r\nConclusions: The proposed technologies and methods would offer a low-cost and\r\nunobtrusive approach to trunk motor rehabilitation
Loading....