Hand Sensory Rehabilitation System Which Incorporated Visual and Tactile Feedback

In this study, we have been developing a rehabilitation system that combining a motor and sensory function recovery device and a measuring device for a hand sensory. These devices are purposely developed for paralyzed patients. The rehabilitation system was named HSRS (Hand Sensory Rehabilitation system) and it’s consists of a training device hand sensory function, a computer to control the device, and an external monitor displays an obtained data from sensors. The training device is able to applycontinuous mechanical stimulation to the hand of a user by grasping the device probe. On the monitor, the self-made Graphical User Interface (GUI) is displayed. An operator instructs the user to match the target value to the measured value in the training. When the user operates the switches, and the device measures the point that contacted with the probe. We did two experiments by using these devices. One is stimulus evaluation experiment. In this experiment, three frequencies (30 [Hz], 60[Hz], 100[Hz]) were given to the human hand and we verified which frequency was most effective. Using a slide caliper and the device to measure sensory function, we evaluated the difference in sensory degree of each healthy subject between before and after using the training device. As a result, we found 60[Hz] is the most effective frequency. In the second experiment, we let a subject follow a target value of GUI. In this experiment, we examined the relation between the sensory function and the motor function and investigated the best evaluation parameter when training the paralyzed patient. As a result, we didn’t get difference in the results when comparing in sports experience. However, we got a particularly big difference of the magnitude of the residual during accelerated and deceleration time of the gripping with other items. Moreover, when comparing those who are good and not good sensory in sensory function measurement experiments, there was a tendency that the subjects with not good sensory have the bigger difference with the target value. We confirmed the utility of the measuring devise and the relationship between motor and sensory function.