A linear model-based simulation tool for estimating number of trials needed for upper limb stroke recovery in a given rehabilitation session

Abstract

Traditional methods for assessing upper-limb functional outcomes in stroke patients often fail to estimate the number of trials required  to achieve performance stability of a chosen kinematic metric. Limited non-model-based studies have attempted to tackle this issue. To  bridge this gap, this study utilized an iterative learning algorithm (ILA) in MATLAB, employing linear models to represent the muscle  dynamics and forearm extension of impaired patients. The reference task space trajectory was set as a straight-line point-point trajectory within a range of 0 - 0.2828m. By using the root mean square error (RMSE) as a metric for evaluating kinematic accuracy, a maximum  kinematic deviation error of 0.01m was imposed with respect to the trajectory by the (ILA). Results indicate that over 16 trials,  performance stability was obtained with improvement in deviation error from 0.0168m in the first trial to 0.0060 at sixteen trials. The  result obtained is in line with similar non-model studies and our findings inform the potential of ILAs with linear models for estimation of trial numbers required to attain performance stability of a selected kinematic metric (i.e., kinematic accuracy).