GARDE: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Accommodate Fine Motor Control Disorders - Northeastern Engineering Research

GARDE: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Accommodate Fine Motor Control Disorders

The novelty of our proposal is the interdisciplinary, engineering-based approach; we frame this problem in terms of the following questions: -Given a set of wrist vibrations, what are the pen grip/pen mechanics conditions that would cause “unintended penmanship” (i.e., pen slip on paper)? How can penmanship be improved actively or passively? To address this complex problem, we first frame writing ability in the context of human factors and performance metrics (PM) on end-users. The elderly target population will be established via collaboration with a neurologist at Boston Medical Center. We then build dynamic models of a pen being oscillated by the hand, under various conditions, and use a control theory approach to accommodate oscillations, on the pen. Finally, we will implement and construct these approaches into a “Smart Pen” that will be tested on an end-user population. Design refinements will also include 3D contact mechanics models of grip and friction, and undergraduate Senior Design team efforts in prototypes, using a series of sensors and actuators.

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