Kinect V2 implementation and testing of the reaching performance scale for motor evaluation of patients with neurological impairment. (June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Scano, Alessandro; Chiavenna, Andrea; Malosio, Matteo; Molinari Tosatti, Lorenzo; Molteni, Franco
• Is Part Of: Medical engineering & physics. Volume 56(2018)
• Page Start: 54
• Page End: 58
• Publication Date: 2018-06
• Subjects: Reaching performance scale -- Upper limb -- Kinect -- Kinect V2 -- Biomechanical evaluation -- Neurological patients -- Kinematics -- Motion tracking -- Motor control; RM reaching movement -- RPS reaching performance scale -- ICF International Classification of Functioning; Biomedical engineering -- Periodicals; Biomedical Engineering -- Periodicals; Physics -- Periodicals; Génie biomédical -- Périodiques; Biomedical engineering; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 610.28
• DOI: 10.1016/j.medengphy.2018.04.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-4533

Abstract

Highlights: The Reaching Performance Scale (RPS) measures patients' performances in reaching gestures. A Kinect V2 –based automated procedure for the administration of the RPS was implemented. The visual RPS and the Kinect V2 one were administered to 20 neurological patients. Visual RPS and Kinect V2 scores are highly correlated (R = 0.90, p < 0.001). Clinical scale coupling with affordable devices is a cost-effective chance for home rehabilitation. Abstract: Automated procedures for neurological patients' motor evaluation may take advantage of the coupling between clinical scales and motion tracking devices to provide affordable, quantified and reliable assessment to be used in clinics, in surgeries and domestic environment. In this study, 20 post-stroke patients performed frontal reaching movements with their more affected limb, and a physician administered the Reaching Performance Scale (RPS) to assess motor functionality. At the same time, patients' kinematics were recorded with the Kinect V2 sensor. An automated algorithm was developed to compute the RPS based on Kinect V2 tracking data, and visual and Kinect V2 RPS scores were compared. Results showed very high statistical correlation between the automated procedure and the visual administration (Pearson Correlation Coefficient: R = 0.90, p < 0.001). While the number of patients is limited, the automated RPS seems to be successfully applicable to different levels of impairment, from mild to severe.