Biomedical subjects

R F Erlandson

Publications and source records attributed to R F Erlandson.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1991

Patient and staff acceptance of robotic technology in occupational therapy: a pilot study.

While the majority of applications of robotics in the field of rehabilitation focus on the development of smart aids for people without upper extremity function, there is also potential for the robot as a therapy "aide." We designed, built, and pilot-tested hardware and software that used a robot to provide muscle reeducation movement patterns after stroke. This is a report on a field trial, in which 11 occupational therapists used the system with 22 patients; each patient averaged 2.2 sessions. Based on information contained in the system database, a log, patient interviews, and therapist questionnaires, we evaluated safety, system utility, and patient and therapist acceptance. The results suggest that robotic treatment is safe and accepted (if not welcomed) by patients. The therapists expressed a qualified acceptance, suggesting several modifications to increase utility. The potential for the application of robotics in rehabilitation therapy is discussed in light of these findings.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed1991

Electromyography interference pattern decomposition.

Decomposition of an interference pattern enables examination of individual electromyography (EMG) motor units and their firing rates at more than minimal contraction forces. In this decomposition method, significant events with a constant occurrence (near motor unit action potentials) can be enhanced, and unwanted events (distant motor unit action potentials, artifacts) eliminated, by calculating the average accumulated change while sliding a fixed-width window along the digitized EMG interference pattern. Nonparametric statistical methods are then applied to these data to determine which information is significant at the .05 level. The exact duration of significant information is identified without the need for arbitrary thresholds and filters to eliminate unwanted information. Events are then classified into groups of similar events by comparing: (1) correlation coefficients, (2) point-to-point differences, (3) amplitudes, and (4) areas. The classification is further refined by the use of firing-rate information.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed1988

Computerized synthesis of electromyographic interference patterns.

Computer simulation is a process that appears to have wide application in many disciplines. Electromyographic (EMG) interference patterns can be computer-synthesized by inputting parameters of individual motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) such as amplitude, duration, and phases, and recruitment parameters of number of motor units, and the firing rate and its standard deviation. The resulting simulated EMG interference patterns can then be used to test hypotheses regarding the effect of alteration of the individual MUAP parameters on the interference pattern. An example of the usefulness of simulation is demonstrated by the analysis of the simulated patterns by the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), which indicates that the major frequency band in the FFT results from the duration of the individual phases of the MUAP. The motor unit's recruitment rate is superimposed on the FFT envelope in the low-frequency end. The variability of the firing rate influences the distinctness of the low-frequency peaks. The MUAP amplitude and number of motor units in the recruitment pattern are reflected in the FFT power. Simulation appears to be a useful tool for further investigation and development of EMG signal analysis techniques.

Action Potentials↗