Tomoyuki Nakao

Development of drawing assist system for patients with cerebral palsy of the tension athetosis type

Creative activities, such as painting and music, are one source of satisfaction and fulfillment for people with disabilities. However, some individuals with a disability cannot satisfactorily enjoy such activities because of involuntary movement or spasms. In this study, we developed a drawing assist system for patients with cerebral palsy of the tension athetosis type, who experience spasticity that makes it difficult for the assist system to distinguish involuntary movement from voluntary movement. We designed a variable filter to attenuate involuntary movement on the basis of the behavioral characteristics of the velocity component with respect to involuntary movement. Our system enabled drawing based on the participants own senses and motor control, even when experiencing involuntary movement.

Drawing Assist System Considering Nonperiodic Involuntary Movements

Abstract Creative activities such as painting and music are a source of satisfaction and fulfillment for many people with disabilities, but some individuals with disabilities cannot satisfactorily enjoy such activities due to their involuntary movements. We developed a drawing assistance system for people with nonperiodic involuntary movements that has a position correction filter which adaptively varies the attenuation in the involuntary movements in real time, and error-drawing prevention with force control. Here we confirmed that the system enables a user to draw or paint based on the users own senses and motor control, even when experiencing involuntary movement.

Drawing assist system for cerebral palsy patients considering the involuntary movements

Creative activities, such as painting and playing instruments, are sources of satisfaction and fulfillment for people with disabilities. However, some individuals with disabilities cannot satisfactorily enjoy such activities because of involuntary movements. In this study, we developed a drawing assist system for users with athetoid cerebral palsy and muscle tension, who experience involuntary movement. To date, assist systems have had difficulty in distinguishing involuntary movement from voluntary movement, and thus we designed a position correction filter to attenuate involuntary movement on the basis of the characteristics of the magnitude of velocity with respect to involuntary movement. Our system enabled drawing based on the users own senses and motor control, even when involuntary movement occurred.