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- Title
QUANTIFYING DIGIT FORCE VECTOR COORDINATION DURING PRECISION PINCH.
- Authors
MARQUARDT, TAMARA L.; LI, ZONG-MING
- Abstract
A methodology was established to investigate the contact mechanics of the thumb and the index finger at the digit-object interface during precision pinch. Two force/torque transducers were incorporated into an apparatus designed to overcome the thickness of each transducer and provide a flexible pinch span for digit placement and force application. To demonstrate the utility of the device, five subjects completed a pinch task with the pulps of their thumb and index finger. Inter-digit force vector coordination was quantified by examining the (1) force vector component magnitudes, (2) resultant force vector magnitudes, (3) coordination angle: the angle formed by the resultant vectors of each digit, (4) direction angle: the angle formed by each vector and the coordinate axes, and (5) center of pressure locations. It was shown that the resultant force magnitude of the index finger exceeded that of the thumb by 0.8 ± 0.3 N and that the coordination angle between the digit resultant force vectors was 160.2 ± 4.6°. The experimental apparatus and analysis methods provide a valuable tool for the quantitative examination of biomechanics and motor control during dexterous manipulation.
- Subjects
PINCH grip; FINGERS; THUMB; POSTURE; MOTOR ability; BIOMECHANICS
- Publication
Journal of Mechanics in Medicine & Biology, 2013, Vol 13, Issue 2, p-1
- ISSN
0219-5194
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1142/S0219519413500474