MIBE Seminar: Wearable Technologies to Assess and Manage Upper-Limb Tremor in Neurological Patients.

Topic: Wearable Technologies to Assess and Manage Upper-Limb Tremor in Neurological Patients.

Speaker: Natalia Paredes Acuna, Doctoral Candidate (Cheng Group)

Date and Time: Tuesday, 20 December 2022, 1:00 pm

Abstract: Some of the noticeable motor impairments in neurological patients include muscle weakness, balance dysfunction, ataxia, and upper-limb tremors which, for example, occur in about one third of people with MS (pwMS), with studies reporting a prevalence of up to 58%. They can incapacitate and seriously impair the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) that require fine and precise movements, such as eating, drinking, writing, and dressing. Noninvasive technological interventions to assess and manage these symptoms are relatively sparse and include proximal/distal stabilization, weighted wrists, visual guided techniques, tendon vibration, peripheral cooling, and electromagnetic field administration. In this seminar talk, I will present the preliminary results of the analysis of upper-limb motor control for ataxia patients while performing different neurological tests. Followed by the possible applications of wearable technologies for assessing and managing these symptoms.