A Novel Device for Measuring Mechanical Impedance during Dynamic Tasks

Mechanical impedance is an important factor that the central nervous system takes into account while coordinating a motion. This research work thus aims to develop a new measurement for monitoring dynamic changes of mechanical impedance. The method is introduced and validated in the context. The results show that device correctly measures the dynamic force and impedance of an eccentric linear spring. Furthermore, 62 measurement trails on two human subjects (31 trials on each) confirmed that the value of mechanical impedance changes with adaptation. Finally, we propose a method for the assessment of motor recovery in the stroke patients undergoing rehabilitation sessions.