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Portable EMG-triggered Hand Robot for Individuals After Stroke

Hand Training Utilizing an Electromyography-triggered Hand Robot for Individuals After Chronic Stroke

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02364700
Enrollment
12
Registered
2015-02-18
Start date
2015-03-31
Completion date
2016-06-30
Last updated
2017-07-12

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Stroke

Keywords

stroke, robotics, hand rehabilitation

Brief summary

This is an interventional pilot study investigating the feasibility of using the hand of hope (HOH) device for individuals with decreased hand function after stroke.

Detailed description

The HOH will be used to provide hand training for patients with decreased hand ability after stroke. The HOH is a light-weight, non-invasive, portable hand robot that provides physical assistance when a patient activates the muscles that open and close the hand. The HOH works by detecting surface EMG muscle activity and therefore requires active participation from the patient throughout the session. Video games linked to the HOH device are specifically designed to work on opening and closing the hand facilitating mass practice and high repetition needed for improving strength and range of motion of muscles.

Interventions

DEVICEHand of Hope (HOH)

Subjects will receive arm training 3x/week for 6 weeks, each session is anticipated to last approximately 60 minutes. Sessions will be scheduled for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday whenever possible to provide a rest period between sessions. Each session will consist of the following: * warm up-passive stretch of hand in flexion and extension (5 minutes); * setting the EMG threshold parameters for the device; * active practicing of opening the hand (Desperate Bee, Hungry Bird, Sun Archer games; 10 min) * active practice of closing then hand (UFO Catcher game; 10 min) * open and closing the hand (Ball and Basket game; 10 min) * open and closing the hand while incorporating reach ( for subjects with adequate ability to reach with shoulder/elbow; 10 min) * cool down-passive stretch of hand in flexion and extension (5 minutes)

Sponsors

New York Presbyterian Hospital
CollaboratorOTHER
Rehab-Robotics Company Limited
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Diagnosis of stroke \> 6 months ago 2. Presence of some active range of motion (AROM) in the affected hand, measured by a score of at least 1 on the Box and Block test. 3. Intact sensation in the affected hand 4. Full passive range of motion (PROM) in mass flexion and extension of the hand 5. MAS score \< 3 for finger flexors and intrinsics 6. MAS score \< 3 for finger extensors 7. Visual tracking is intact in all directions 8. Patient must be otherwise medically stable in the opinion of the principal investigator

Exclusion criteria

1. Patient is receiving active occupational or physical therapy for the affected arm 2. Patient has joint contractures that prevent proper fit into the HOH device 3. Patient has other concurrent neurological or orthopedic diagnoses that affect motor ability of the arm such as Parkinson's or Multiple Sclerosis, or arthritis 4. It has been less than 3 months since last botulinum toxin injection in the affected arm

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity (FMA)baseline to 6 weeks (discharge)The FMA is a performance based evaluation of upper limb impairment of the affected arm after stroke. Scoring is based on an ordinal scale of 0 (no movement) to 2 (normal movement). Scoring is based on sum of 30 items, ranging from 0-60.
Arm Motor Ability Test (AMAT)Baseline to 6 weeks (discharge)The AMAT is performance based measure of functional ability of the affected arm and hand in unilateral and bilateral everyday tasks. It is comprised of 10 functional tasks such as cutting meat with a knife and fork, donning a t-shirt, and phone use with a score ranging from 0 to a maximum of 5 for each item. The total score is the mean score for all individual item scores.
Box and BlocksBaseline to 6 weeks (discharge)The Box and Blocks is a performance-based functional assessment of hand dexterity ( gross grasp and release). The total score is the number of 2.5cc blocks successfully transferred from one box to another with the affected hand in one minute.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Stroke Upper Limb Capacity Scale (SULCS)Baseline to 6 weeks (discharge)The SULCs is a performance based measure of upper limb capacity after stroke. Each of the 10 items are administered in a hierarchical order and assigned a score of 0 (unable to complete) or 1 (able to complete the task) with a maximum score of 10.
Hand Dynamometrybaseline to 6 weeks (discharge)A dynamometer measures grip strength in kilograms
Stroke Impact Scale --Hand Sub Scale (SIS-H)baseline to 6 weeks (discharge)The Stroke Impact Scale is a stroke-specific questionnaire evaluating quality of life in stroke survivors over eight domains. Each domain is scored independently on an ordinal scale ranging from 0 (minimum) bto a maximum of 5. Only the Hand sub-score was used in this study. Scores for each domain are transformed and range from 0-100. Formula for scoring domains: Transformed Scale = \[(Actual raw score - lowest possible raw score) / Possible raw score\] \* 100

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Interventional Group
This is a single group, interventional pilot study. All participants will receive 6-week hand training on the HOH device. Subjects will receive arm training 3x/week for 6 weeks.
12
Total12

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicInterventional Group
Age, Continuous57.1 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.2
Arm Motor Ability Test (AMAT)2.13 units on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.5
Box and Blocks5.67 number of blocks
STANDARD_DEVIATION 10.36
Dynamometry7.96 kilograms
STANDARD_DEVIATION 6.24
Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA)20.75 units on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7.9
Sex: Female, Male
Female
10 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
2 Participants
Stroke Impact Scale-Hand Subscale11.50 units on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 4.91
Stroke Upper Limb Capacity Scale (SULCS)5.33 units on a scale
STANDARD_DEVIATION 2.15

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
7 / 12
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 12

Outcome results

Primary

Arm Motor Ability Test (AMAT)

The AMAT is performance based measure of functional ability of the affected arm and hand in unilateral and bilateral everyday tasks. It is comprised of 10 functional tasks such as cutting meat with a knife and fork, donning a t-shirt, and phone use with a score ranging from 0 to a maximum of 5 for each item. The total score is the mean score for all individual item scores.

Time frame: Baseline to 6 weeks (discharge)

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Interventional GroupArm Motor Ability Test (AMAT)2.35 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 0.58
Primary

Box and Blocks

The Box and Blocks is a performance-based functional assessment of hand dexterity ( gross grasp and release). The total score is the number of 2.5cc blocks successfully transferred from one box to another with the affected hand in one minute.

Time frame: Baseline to 6 weeks (discharge)

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Interventional GroupBox and Blocks6.08 totally number of blocks transferredStandard Deviation 10
Primary

Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity (FMA)

The FMA is a performance based evaluation of upper limb impairment of the affected arm after stroke. Scoring is based on an ordinal scale of 0 (no movement) to 2 (normal movement). Scoring is based on sum of 30 items, ranging from 0-60.

Time frame: baseline to 6 weeks (discharge)

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Interventional GroupFugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity (FMA)22.50 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 9.47
p-value: <0.05Friedman Test
Secondary

Hand Dynamometry

A dynamometer measures grip strength in kilograms

Time frame: baseline to 6 weeks (discharge)

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Interventional GroupHand Dynamometry8.23 kilogramsStandard Deviation 6.18
Secondary

Stroke Impact Scale --Hand Sub Scale (SIS-H)

The Stroke Impact Scale is a stroke-specific questionnaire evaluating quality of life in stroke survivors over eight domains. Each domain is scored independently on an ordinal scale ranging from 0 (minimum) bto a maximum of 5. Only the Hand sub-score was used in this study. Scores for each domain are transformed and range from 0-100. Formula for scoring domains: Transformed Scale = \[(Actual raw score - lowest possible raw score) / Possible raw score\] \* 100

Time frame: baseline to 6 weeks (discharge)

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Interventional GroupStroke Impact Scale --Hand Sub Scale (SIS-H)13.33 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 5.48
Secondary

Stroke Upper Limb Capacity Scale (SULCS)

The SULCs is a performance based measure of upper limb capacity after stroke. Each of the 10 items are administered in a hierarchical order and assigned a score of 0 (unable to complete) or 1 (able to complete the task) with a maximum score of 10.

Time frame: Baseline to 6 weeks (discharge)

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Interventional GroupStroke Upper Limb Capacity Scale (SULCS)5.17 units on a scaleStandard Deviation 2.17

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026