Objective assessment of overexcited hand movements using a lightweight sensory device

Hyperexcitability in hand is a disorder characterized by exaggerated muscle movement, and is a common symptom associated with neuro-degenerative diseases and spinal cord injuries. Current assessment methods for hyperexcitability rely on subjective examination, or on methods that evaluate the overall hand grip performance without particularization in the excitation. This paper introduces a system that utilizes an inexpensive body sensor device combined with a series of signal processing units that extract information specifically related to physiological phenomena generated by hyperexcitability. A clinical cohort study has been conducted on nine patients with cervical spinal cord injuries (mean age 58.2 ± 13.5). The experimental results show that the proposed signal processing mechanism accurately detects and analyzes the body signal. The medical significance of the experimental results is also investigated. This opens up a new opportunity for patients and clinical professionals to obtain accurate feedback of patient´s motor function in an economical and ubiquitous manner.