The peg-in-hole: a VR-based haptic assessment for quantifying upper limb performance and skills

Assistive technologies (AT) have the potential to augment individual's life and to promote functional independence. However, in many cases, optimum use of an assistive technology device is restricted due to the difficulties in interacting with the user. Owing to inherent differences in the level of individuals' impairment, selection of a suitable interface for an assistive technology device is usually a difficult choice. Objective quantification of the individual's impairment is therefore a very important step in matching a suitable interface for use with assistive technology equipments. Similar need for such measures can be seen in rehabilitation where appropriate objective measures can inform the effectiveness of a therapy regime or help to compare different therapies and their usefulness. This paper presents the peg-in-hole haptic assessment designed for quantifying upper limb skills.