preliminary evaluation of a variable compliance joystick for people with multiple sclerosis

This article and any supplementary material should be cited as follows: Mahajan HP, Spaeth DM, Dicianno BE, Brown K, Cooper RA. Preliminary evaluation of a variable compliance joystick for people with multiple sclerosis. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2014;51(6):XX–XX. http://dx.doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2013.01.0023

Slideshow ProjectDOI:10.1682/JRRD.2013.01.0023JSP

Preliminary evaluation of a variable compliance joystick for people with

multiple sclerosis

Harshal P. Mahajan, PhD; Donald M. Spaeth, PhD; Brad E. Dicianno, MD; Karl Brown, MS; Rory A. Cooper, PhD



• Aim– Evaluate whether participants with multiple sclerosis

(MS) can drive electrical powered wheelchairs better with a variable compliance joystick (VCJ) and customizable algorithms or with a conventional wheelchair joystick.

• Relevance– Upper-limb fatigue may restrict people with MS from

using their electrical powered wheelchair effectively and for long periods.



Method

• 11 participants were randomly assigned to 2 groups.

• To complete virtual wheelchair driving tasks, each group used either VCJ in compliant or noncompliant isometric mode and a:– Standard algorithm.– Personally fitted algorithm.– Personally fitted algorithm with fatigue adaptation running

in background.



Results

• Participants with MS showed better driving performance metrics while using customized algorithms than while using standard algorithm with VCJ.



Conclusion

• Fatigue adaptation algorithms are especially beneficial in improving overall task performance while using VCJ in isometric mode.

• VCJ, along with personally fitted algorithms and fatigue adaptation algorithms, is a potentially effective input interface for wheelchairs.

preliminary evaluation of a variable compliance joystick for people with multiple sclerosis

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