PROJECT TITLE :

Wrist Coordination in a Kinematically Redundant Stabilization Task

ABSTRACT:

We tend to investigated how the management of a compliant object is realized by the redundancy of wrist anatomy. Subjects had to balance a one degree-of-freedom inverted pendulum using elastic linkages controlled by wrist flexion/extension (FE) and forearm pronation/supination (PS). Haptic feedback of the interaction forces between the pendulum and also the wrist was provided by a robotic interface. By tuning the mechanical properties of the virtual pendulum and therefore the stiffness of the elastic linkages it absolutely was doable to review varied dynamical regimes of the simulated object. Twenty subjects (divided in two groups) were tested in four days performing the same task however with completely different presentation order. The stabilization strategy adopted by the topics was characterised by primarily using the PS DoF when the pendulum was linked to stiff springs and characterised by a comparatively quick dynamic response; in distinction, the stabilization task was shared by each DoFs in case of lower spring stiffness and slower dynamics of the virtual object.