Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), Hand Injuries, Wounds and Injuries, Hands, Wounds and Injuries, Wrists, Wrist Injuries
Conditions
Brief summary
People with hand and wrist conditions, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or hand injuries, often experience pain and discomfort when using a computer mouse. This study will evaluate a new artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted computer input system ("AI-mouse") designed to reduce the amount of hand movement needed during computer tasks. Participants will complete short computer-based tasks using both a conventional mouse and the AI-assisted system while researchers measure task performance, muscle activity using surface electromyography (EMG), and participants' ratings of pain, physical strain, and usability. The study aims to determine whether the AI-assisted system can reduce physical effort and muscle load while maintaining effective computer interaction. Findings may help improve accessible computer technologies and support the development of ergonomic tools for people with hand and wrist impairments.
Interventions
DEVICEAI-Assisted Computer Input System
A non-invasive computer input system that uses artificial intelligence to predict the user's intended on-screen action. Instead of relying primarily on continuous cursor movement and mouse clicking, the system presents predicted actions that participants can preview, accept, or discard using minimal keyboard input. The intervention is designed to reduce repetitive hand movements during computer interaction while preserving user control. Participants complete standardized computer tasks using the system during a single study session lasting less than four minutes.
DEVICEConventional Computer Mouse
A standard computer mouse used for conventional point-and-click interaction. Participants complete the same standardized computer tasks as in the experimental condition, allowing direct comparison of task performance, upper-limb muscle activity measured by surface electromyography (EMG), and participant-reported pain, physical strain, and usability.
Sponsors
Nazarbayev University
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Adults aged 18-65 years * Diagnosis of a hand or wrist condition, including carpal tunnel syndrome or hand/wrist injury. * Receiving care at the Hand Surgery Department of the National Scientific Center of Traumatology and Orthopedics. * Medically stable and assessed by a study physician as able to safely perform light computer-based hand movements. * Able to understand the study procedures and provide written informed consent. * Normal or corrected-to-normal vision sufficient to complete computer-based tasks.
Exclusion criteria
* Severe pain or acute symptoms that may be aggravated by computer task performance. * Postoperative restrictions limiting hand or wrist movement. * Severe motor impairment preventing completion of the study tasks. * Cognitive or neurological disorders that interfere with understanding study procedures or task performance. * Uncorrected visual impairment that interferes with computer use. * Any medical condition that, in the opinion of the study physician, would make participation unsafe.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| APDF90 surface electromyography (sEMG) amplitude | Baseline (during each intervention condition on Day 1) | 90th percentile amplitude probability distribution function (APDF90) of the processed sEMG envelope recorded from selected upper-limb muscles during standardized computer tasks. |
| Muscular rest time | Baseline (during each intervention condition on Day 1) | Percentage of task duration during which the processed sEMG envelope remained below the predefined muscular-rest threshold of 2 µV. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated squared dynamic acceleration | Baseline (during each intervention condition on Day 1) | Cumulative dynamic movement workload measured by tri-axial accelerometry and expressed as integrated squared dynamic acceleration (mG²·s). |
| 90th percentile dynamic acceleration | Baseline (during each intervention condition on Day 1) | Peak dynamic movement intensity measured by tri-axial accelerometry and expressed as the 90th percentile of dynamic acceleration (mG). |
| Task completion time | Baseline (during each intervention condition on Day 1) | Time required to complete the standardized computer task using the conventional mouse and the AI-assisted computer input system. |
| Error rate | Baseline (during each intervention condition on Day 1) | Percentage of incorrect target selections during the standardized computer task |
| Self-reported pain | Immediately after each intervention condition on Day 1 | Participant-reported hand and wrist pain after completing each intervention condition, assessed using a numeric rating scale |
Contacts
CONTACTJose Berengueres, PhD
CONTACTDina Kalinina, MD
Outcome results
None listed