Design and Evaluation of an IMU Sensor-based System for the Rehabilitation of Upper Limb Motor Dysfunction

Stroke is one of the most significant non-communicable diseases in the world with approximately 15 million people experiencing a new or recurrent stroke each year. More than half of stroke survivors have some degree of permanent sensorimotor impairment that requires specialized physical rehabilitation. Wearable technologies are a cost-effective means by which to monitor and provide feedback about sensorimotor function across the different phases of stroke recovery, with data-driven insights used to improve clinical decision-making and care experiences. In this paper, we describe the redesign of a single inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor system (i.e., the T'ena sensor), and evaluate the ability of the sensor to accurately measure movement kinematics during the performance of common post-stroke motor task. Results indicate high to very high agreement and correlation values between the T'ena sensor and the gold-standard motion capture system, regardless of kinematic parameter. In sum, the described T'ena sensor is capable of accurately measuring upper limb movement kinematics, using only a single sensor. The adoption of portable and low-cost devices have the ability to make a substantial impact for the millions of persons who exhibit motor impairments after a stroke.