Biomechanical Human Performance Metrics of Coordination and Balance for Operational Decision-Making
Richard Fineman
PhD Candidate, MEMP Bioastronautics
Harvard-MIT Health Science & Technology (HST)
Abstract: The overall goal of this work is to develop a series of biomechanically-driven human performance metrics compiled to aid clinical decision-making. We aim to test the hypothesis that I can provide quantitative feedback to augment clinical decisions typically made subjectively and qualitatively regarding upper and lower extremity function. In order to develop usable and effective decision-making metrics, a thorough understanding of the domain of interest is required. Therefore, a human-systems approach must be taken to better understand the information that end users gather and interpret to make treatment decisions (1,2). The understanding of clinical need and decision-making methods helps streamline the clinical translatability of this work. Complex multi-joint motions (such as going from sit to stand and reaching for objects) require many components, including stabilizing posture and coordinating limb position to a desired endpoint. Observations of the clinician-patient interaction during occupational therapy revealed the importance of motion synergies, coordination, and balance while rehabilitating patient’s with varying disabilities and have demonstrated the need for performance-based metrics that enable deeper insight into how patient’s perform tasks thereby disambiguating desired and undesired motor patterns (3). With this in mind, this work focuses on developing biomechanically-driven metrics for human performance that quantify coordination and balance in clinical contexts. By quantifying inter-limb coordination and balance, we enable decoupling motor patterns without direct visual observation, providing objective and quantitative feedback to clinicians on the quality of human motion. This presentation will be given in two parts in preparation for research talks at the Aerospace Medical Association Annual Conference (May 6-10) and Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society Annual Conference (May 22-25).