A LOW-DIMENSIONAL DISSIMILARITY ANALYSIS OF UNILATERAL AND BILATERAL STROKE-IMPACTED HAND TRAJECTORIES

In this paper, we propose a quantitative approach based on identifying hand trajectory dissimilarities through the use of a multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis. A high-rate motion capture system is used to gather three-dimensional (3D) trajectory data of healthy and stroke-impacted hemiparetic subjects. The mutual dissimilarity between any two trajectories is measured by the area between them. This area is used as a dissimilarity variable to create an MDS map. The map reveals a structure for measuring the difference and variability of individual trajectories and their groups. The results suggest that the recovery of hemiparetic subjects can be quantified by comparing the difference and variability of their individual MDS map points to the points from the cluster of healthy subject trajectories. Within the MDS map, we can identify fully recovered patients, those who are only functionally recovered, and those who are either in an early phase of, or are nonresponsive to the therapy.