Manual dexterity aptitude testing

• US 4,037,480 A
• Filed: 08/21/1975
• Issued: 07/26/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Wissenschaften e.V. (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Frderung der Wissenschaften e)
• Original Assignee: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Wissenschaften e.V. (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Frderung der Wissenschaften e)
• Inventors: Wagner, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Gill, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ciarlante, Anthony V.
• Application Number:
  US05/606,725
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 73/432 R, 73/379, 73/381, 128/2 S, 128/26, 33/174 D
• US Class Current: 73/865.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/225 of the fingers, e.g. by monitoring hand-grip force

Abstract

Method and apparatus for testing the aptitude of a person for an activity requiring manual dexterity according to which a joint in an arm of the person is subjected to a predetermined stress in a direction in which the joint moves, and the resulting deflection is measured.

Claims

1. An apparatus for testing a joint system between two relatively movable parts of the arm system of a person in order to determine said person'"'"'s aptitude for activity requiring manual dexterity, said apparatus comprising first means for supporting one of the two relatively movable parts, second means for supporting the other of the two parts, at least one of the first and second means being capable of rotation about an axis which substantially coincides with an axis of one degree of freedom of rotational movement of the joint system when the two connected parts are supported in the first and second means, each of the first and second means including means for preventing movement of the respective supported part relative to the first or second means in a direction of decreasing stress on the joint system, third means for applying a constant predetermined force to at least one of the first and second means for biassing the latter to rotate in a direction of increasing stress on the joint system, and fourth means for measuring the static deflection of the joint system resulting from the application of the constant force, the measurement being indicative of the person'"'"'s aptitude for the given activity.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which both the first and second means are independently rotatable about the axis, and the third means applies the same constant predetermined force to each of the first and second means in opposite directions.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the first and second means comprise means for supporting adjacent fingers of a hand resectively, the third means comprises means for applying the same constant force to each of the first and second means in opposite directions tending to splay the fingers apart, and the fourth means comprises means for measuring the angle between the first and second means, the apparatus further including means for securing the metacarpal region of the hand against movement.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 in which the fourth means comprises an angle scale carried by one of the first and second means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 further including a rod extending between the two fingers perpendicularly to the plane of the hand and adjustable in a direction along the bisector of the fingers.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the first means comprises a substantially flat support surface and means to press the metacarpal region of one hand against the flat surface, the second means comprises a member for supporting the four fingers of the hand, said member being hinged relative to the surface for rotation about an axis running through the articular space between the metacarpal bones and the bones of the adjoining finger segments, the third means comprises means for applying a constant predetermined force to the hinged member in a direction which endeavours to bend the fingers back relative to the metacarpal region of the hand, and the fourth means comprises means to measure the angular position of the hinged member.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the first means comprises a substantially flat surface for supporting the lower arm, palm and four fingers of the arm system, meanns for fixing the wrist and lower arm relative to the surface, and a stop means for locating the outer side of the index finger, the second means comprises a fixture for holding the thumb, said fixture being hinged relative to the flat surface for rotation about an axis which substantially coincides with the axis of rotation of the thumb relative to the index finger, the third means comprises means for applying a constant predetermined force to the fixture in a direction tending to bend the thumb away from the index finger, and the fourth means comprises means for measuring the angular position of the fixture.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the first means comprises means for securing the upper arm and elbow against movement, the second means comprises means for clamping the wrist and supporting the lower arm at right angles to the upper arm, the third means comprises means to apply a constant force tending to rotate the lower arm about its own axis, and the fourth means comprises means for measuring the angular orientation of the clamp means.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the third means comprises a cord pulley.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a sling for supporting the hand.

11. Procedure for testing a joint system between two relatively movable parts of the arm system of a person in order to determine said person'"'"'s aptitude for an activity requiring manual dexterity, comprising supporting the joint system in a manner allowing one degree of freedom of rotational movement between the two relatively movable parts, restraining one of the two parts against movement in a direction of decreasing stress on the joint system, applying a constant predetermined force to the other of the two parts in a direction of increasing stress on the joint system, and measuring the resultant static deflection of the joint system.

12. Procedure according to claim 11 in which one hand of the person is restrained in the region of the metacarpal bones, a constant predetermined force endeavouring to bend the fingers towards the back of the hand is applied to the four fingers, excluding the thumb, and the resulting angle between the four fingers and the metacarpus is measured.

13. Procedure according to claim 11 in which the four fingers and the metacarpal region of the hand are restrained, a constant predetermined force tending to bend the thumb away from the adjacent index finger is applied, and the angle between the thumb and index finger is measured.

14. Procedure according to claim 11 in which the upper arm and the elbow joint are restrained, a constant predetermined force is applied to the wrist joint tending to rotate the lower arm about its own axis, and the resulting angular orientation of the wrist joint is measured.

15. Procedure for testing a joint system between two relatively movable parts of the arm system of a person in order to determine said person'"'"'s aptitude for an activity requiring manual dexterity, comprising supporting the joint system in a manner allowing one degree of freedom of rotational movement between the two relatively movable parts, applying equal and opposite constant predetermined forces respectively to the two parts tending to increase the stress on the joint system, and measuring the resultant static deflection of the joint system.

16. Procedure according to claim 15 in which one hand of the person is restrained in the region of the metacarpal bones, equal and opposite constant predetermined forces endeavouring to splay one finger away from an adjoining finger are applied to the fingers and the resulting angle between the two fingers is measured.

17. Procedure for testing the amplitude of movement of a joint system between two connected parts of the arm system of a person in order to determine said person'"'"'s aptitude for an activity requiring manual dexterity, which procedure comprises the steps of

holding one of said parts in a stationary position,

subjecting the other of said parts to a predetermined force acting in the direction of one degree of movement of the joint system, and

measuring the resultant static deflection of said other part.