Ken Goldberg is the William S. Floyd Jr. Distinguished Chair in Engineering, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA and Chief Scientist for Ambi Robotics, Emeryville, CA, USA. Email:
Published: May 2021
AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
The ability to reliably grasp and manipulate novel objects is a grand challenge for robotics.
Objective: Targeted transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (tTENS) is a non-invasive neural stimulation technique that involves activating sensory nerve fibers to elicit tactile sensations in a distal, or referred, location. Though tTENS is a promising approach for delivering haptic feedback in virtual reality or for use by those with somatosensory deficits, it was not known how the perception of tTENS might be influenced by changing wrist position during sensorimotor tasks.
Approach: We worked with 12 able-bodied individuals and delivered tTENS by placing electrodes on the wrist, thus targeting the ulnar, median, and radial nerves, and eliciting tactile sensations in the hand.
The controlled release of grasping forces underlies skilled dexterous interactions with objects. While declines in force generation and maintenance are well documented in people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD), limited data exist related to how PD impacts the motor control of grasping force release. The aim of this project was to determine how PD impacts grip force release relative to the generation and maintenance of force.
Background: Motor imagery (MI) is a cognitive process that has been shown to be useful in the rehabilitation process after brain injury. Moreover, functional electrical stimulation (FES) and virtual reality (VR) have also been shown to be effective interventions in many parameters, and there is some evidence of their contribution to the improvement of MI capacity.
Objective: This study aimed to compare the improvements in MI parameters, grip strength, and manual dexterity obtained using VR, FES, and selective FES based on multifield electrodes in healthy people.
Right-handed individuals (RHIs) demonstrate perceptual biases towards their right hand, estimating it to be larger and longer than their left. In addition, RHIs estimate that they can grasp larger objects with their right hand than their left. This study investigated whether visual information specifying handedness enhances biases in RHIs' perceptions of their action capabilities.
Upper and lower limb rehabilitation training is essential for restoring patients' physical movement ability and enhancing muscle strength and coordination. However, traditional rehabilitation training methods have limitations, such as high costs, low patient participation, and lack of real-time feedback. The purpose of this study is to design and implement a rehabilitation training evaluation system based on virtual reality to improve the quality of patients' rehabilitation training.
