An OpenSim-Based Closed-Loop Biomechanical Wrist Model for Subject-Specific Pathological Tremor Simulation

Objective: A pathological tremor (PT) is an involuntary rhythmic movement of varying frequency and amplitude that affects voluntary motion, thus compromising individuals’ independence. A comprehensive model incorporating PT’s physiological and biomechanical aspects can enhance our understanding of the disorder and provide valuable insights for therapeutic approaches. This study aims to build a biomechanical model of pathological tremors using OpenSim’s realistic musculoskeletal representation of the human wrist with two degrees of freedom. Methods: We implemented a Matlab/OpenSim interface for a forward dynamics simulation, which allows for the modeling, simulation, and design of a physiological
$\mathcal {H}_{\infty} $
closed-loop control. This system replicates pathological tremors similar to those observed in patients when their arm is extended forward, the wrist is pronated, and the hand is subject to gravity forces. The model was individually tuned to five subjects (four Parkinson’s disease patients and one diagnosed with essential tremor), each exhibiting distinct tremor characteristics measured by an inertial sensor and surface EMG electrodes. Simulation agreement with the experiments for EMGs, central frequency, joint angles, and angular velocities were evaluated by Jensen-Shannon divergence, histogram centroid error, and histogram intersection. Results: The model emulated individual tremor statistical characteristics, including muscle activations, frequency, variability, and wrist kinematics, with greater accuracy for the four Parkinson’s patients than the essential tremor. Conclusion: The proposed model replicated the main statistical features of subject-specific wrist tremor kinematics. Significance: Our methodology may facilitate the design of patient-specific rehabilitation devices for tremor suppression, such as neural prostheses and electromechanical orthoses.