Upper Limb

General information

Upper-limb mobility and coordination can be assessed by quantifying the ability of the arm to move in different planes of motion with an appropriate speed, distance, direction, timing and muscular tension. Assessment of mobility and coordination is commonly performed by clinicians using chart-based ordinal scales that evaluate the performance of individuals under study on specific tasks. Use of goniometers and motion tracking systems can potentially enhance the accuracy of the assessment by providing accurate information of the range of motion and kinematics of the investigated joints.

Our application

We have developed a computerized tool that assesses upper-limb mobility and coordination using the low-cost Microsoft Kinect Azure. The developed tool includes instrumented tests that quantify the range of motion of the upper limb joints on different planes and the point-to-nose test.

Equipment required

  • Windows computer (Dual Core 3.1 GHz or faster processor, USB 3.0, and 4 GB of RAM) and the Microsoft Kinect v2
  • OR Windows 10 computer with 7th Generation Intel Core i3 Processor (Dual Core 2.4 GHz with HD620 GPU or faster, USB 3.0 port, and 4 GB RAM) and the Microsoft Azure Kinect

User instructions

  • Download and install the Matlab Runtime
  • Restart the computer
  • Download and install our upper limb analysis tool
  • Connect the Kinect v2 or Azure Kinect to the computer
  • Run the application
  • Run the test

Investigated population

  • Stroke (ongoing)
  • Parkinson's disease (ongoing)
  • Multiple sclerosis (ongoing)

Related studies

Disclaimer: Studies to determine the reliability and validity of the upper limb assessment tool are currently underway. The application must be therefore used with caution.