Authors:
Ana Londral
1
;
Mafalda Câmara
2
;
Hugo Gamboa
2
;
Mamede de Carvalho
3
;
Anabela Pinto
3
and
Luís Azevedo
4
Affiliations:
1
Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
;
2
Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
;
3
Universidade de Lisboa and Hospital de Santa Maria, Portugal
;
4
Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
Keyword(s):
Progressive Neurological Conditions, Motor Performance, Assistive Technologies, Accelerometer, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
Related
Ontology
Subjects/Areas/Topics:
Health Engineering and Technology Applications
;
Neural Rehabilitation
;
Neurological Disorders and Rehabilitation
;
Neurotechnology, Electronics and Informatics
;
Social Impact of Neurotechnology
Abstract:
Progressive motor neurodegenerative diseases, as ALS, cause progressive loss of motor function in upper limbs. Motor involvement, also affecting speech at some stage of disease, cause increasing difficulties in accessing to computer devices (and internet tools) that allow communication with caregivers, and healthy professionals. Thus, monitoring progression is important to anticipate new assistive technologies (AT), e.g. computer interface. We present a novel methodology to monitor upper limb typing task functional effectiveness. In our approach, an accelerometer is placed on the index finger allows to measure the number of keystrokes per minute. We developed algorithm that was accurate when tested in three ALS patients and in three control subjects. This method to evaluate communication performance explores the quantification of movement as an early predictor of progression.