Assistance Delivery and Muscle Coordination
Trial Parameters
Brief Summary
The experiment will be conducted with 15 chronic stroke survivors and 15 control subjects. Subjects will perform extension movements of the index finger of their more-impaired (stroke) or nondominant (control) hand under two different assistance types: end-effector assistance and exotendon assistance. For each assistance type, unassisted movements will be performed before and after the assistance. Subjects will be randomly assigned into two groups (A and B), who will receive the assistance in a different order. The finger movements and muscle activation patterns will be recorded during movements.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria for stroke survivors: * Age: 18 - 70 years old * First-ever unilateral cortical stroke with resultant hemiparesis at least 6 months prior to the experimental testing * Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity Section 31 - 55 Exclusion Criteria for both stroke and control: * Presence of concurrent severe medical illness * Pain in hand or arm with movements * Loss of voluntary control of fingers and thumb * Inability to provide informed consent * Musculoskeletal injuries (e.g., fracture) or medical complications (e.g., severe cardiovascular disease).