A portable device for the clinical assessment of upper limb motion and muscle synergies

We present a device for recording and analyzing upper limb movements and muscle activities in a single unit. The device´s outputs are related to aspects of clinical assessment such as joint coordination, fatigue and muscle synergies. A comparison with an optoelectronic motion capture system was also carried out during a hand to mouth and a hand to contralateral shoulder task. High correlation was found for the elbow angles, while analysis of the root mean square errors indicated that the angular outputs of the device were overestimated compared to the angles calculated using the optoelectronic system. Biceps and triceps co-contraction patterns were also observed during the hand to mouth task. Applications to the clinical assessment and monitoring of neurological disorders are discussed.