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Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation

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Open Access 01-12-2019 | Research

Effect of vibration characteristics and vibror arrangement on the tactile perception of the upper arm in healthy subjects and upper limb amputees

Authors: Matthieu Guemann, Sandra Bouvier, Christophe Halgand, Florent Paclet, Leo Borrini, Damien Ricard, Eric Lapeyre, Daniel Cattaert, Aymar de Rugy

Published in: Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation | Issue 1/2019

Abstract

Background

Vibrotactile stimulation is a promising venue in the field of prosthetics to retrain sensory feedback deficits following amputation. Discrimination is well established at the forearm level but not at the upper arm level. Moreover, the effects of combining vibration characteristics such as duration and intensity has never been investigated.

Method

We conducted experiments on spatial discrimination (experiment 1) and tactile intensity perception (experiment 2), using 9 combinations of 3 intensities and 3 durations of vibror stimulations device. Those combinations were tested under 4 arrangements with an array of 6 vibrors. In both experiments, linear orientation aligned with the upper arm longitudinal axis were compared to circular orientation on the upper arm circumference. For both orientations, vibrors were placed either with 3cm space between the center of 2 vibrors or proportionally to the length or the circumference of the subject upper arm. Eleven heathy subjects underwent the 2 experiments and 7 amputees (humeral level) participated in the spatial discrimination task with the best arrangement found.

Results

Experiment 1 revealed that circular arrangements elicited better scores than the linear ones. Arrangements with vibrors spaced proportionally elicited better scores (up to 75% correct) than those with 3 cm spacing. Experiment 2, showed that the perceived intensity of the vibration increases with the intensity of the vibrors’ activation, but also with their duration of activation. The 7 patients obtained high scores (up to 91.67% correct) with the circular proportional (CP) arrangement.

Discussion

These results highlight that discrete and short vibrations can be well discriminated by healthy subjects and people with an upper limb amputation. These new characteristics of vibrations have great potential for future sensory substitution application in closed-loop prosthetic control.

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Title: Effect of vibration characteristics and vibror arrangement on the tactile perception of the upper arm in healthy subjects and upper limb amputees
Authors: Matthieu Guemann
Sandra Bouvier
Christophe Halgand
Florent Paclet
Leo Borrini
Damien Ricard
Eric Lapeyre
Daniel Cattaert
Aymar de Rugy
Publication date: 01-12-2019
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1743-0003
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-019-0597-6

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Effect of vibration characteristics and vibror arrangement on the tactile perception of the upper arm in healthy subjects and upper limb amputees

Abstract

Background

Method

Results

Discussion

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Method

Results

Discussion

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