Sensor-Based Quantitative Assessment of Children’s Fine Motor Competence: An Instrumented Version of the Placing Bricks Test
The assessment of fine motor competence plays a pivotal role in neuropsychological examinations for the identification of developmental deficits. Several tests have been proposed for the characterization of fine motor competence, with evaluation metrics primarily based on qualitative observation, li...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/7/2192 |
| _version_ | 1797211980741738496 |
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| author | Maria Cristina Bisi Rita Stagni |
| author_facet | Maria Cristina Bisi Rita Stagni |
| author_sort | Maria Cristina Bisi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The assessment of fine motor competence plays a pivotal role in neuropsychological examinations for the identification of developmental deficits. Several tests have been proposed for the characterization of fine motor competence, with evaluation metrics primarily based on qualitative observation, limiting quantitative assessment to measures such as test durations. The Placing Bricks (PB) test evaluates fine motor competence across the lifespan, relying on the measurement of time to completion. The present study aims at instrumenting the PB test using wearable inertial sensors to complement PB standard assessment with reliable and objective process-oriented measures of performance. Fifty-four primary school children (27 6-year-olds and 27 7-year-olds) performed the PB according to standard protocol with their dominant and non-dominant hands, while wearing two tri-axial inertial sensors, one per wrist. An ad hoc algorithm based on the analysis of forearm angular velocity data was developed to automatically identify task events, and to quantify phases and their variability. The algorithm performance was tested against video recordings in data from five children. Cycle and Placing durations showed a strong agreement between IMU- and Video-derived measurements, with a mean difference <0.1 s, 95% confidence intervals <50% median phase duration, and very high positive correlation (ρ > 0.9). Analyzing the whole population, significant differences were found for age, as follows: six-year-olds exhibited longer cycle durations and higher variability, indicating a stage of development and potential differences in hand dominance; seven-year-olds demonstrated quicker and less variable performance, aligning with the expected maturation and the refined motor control associated with dominant hand training during the first year of school. The proposed sensor-based approach allowed the quantitative assessment of fine motor competence in children, providing a portable and rapid tool for monitoring developmental progress. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T10:35:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e8d915cd256c43cbb6c12e3213cf5849 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T10:35:07Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
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| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-e8d915cd256c43cbb6c12e3213cf58492024-04-12T13:26:26ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202024-03-01247219210.3390/s24072192Sensor-Based Quantitative Assessment of Children’s Fine Motor Competence: An Instrumented Version of the Placing Bricks TestMaria Cristina Bisi0Rita Stagni1Department of Electrical, Electronic and Information Engineering “Guglielmo Marconi”, University of Bologna, Via del Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Electrical, Electronic and Information Engineering “Guglielmo Marconi”, University of Bologna, Via del Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, ItalyThe assessment of fine motor competence plays a pivotal role in neuropsychological examinations for the identification of developmental deficits. Several tests have been proposed for the characterization of fine motor competence, with evaluation metrics primarily based on qualitative observation, limiting quantitative assessment to measures such as test durations. The Placing Bricks (PB) test evaluates fine motor competence across the lifespan, relying on the measurement of time to completion. The present study aims at instrumenting the PB test using wearable inertial sensors to complement PB standard assessment with reliable and objective process-oriented measures of performance. Fifty-four primary school children (27 6-year-olds and 27 7-year-olds) performed the PB according to standard protocol with their dominant and non-dominant hands, while wearing two tri-axial inertial sensors, one per wrist. An ad hoc algorithm based on the analysis of forearm angular velocity data was developed to automatically identify task events, and to quantify phases and their variability. The algorithm performance was tested against video recordings in data from five children. Cycle and Placing durations showed a strong agreement between IMU- and Video-derived measurements, with a mean difference <0.1 s, 95% confidence intervals <50% median phase duration, and very high positive correlation (ρ > 0.9). Analyzing the whole population, significant differences were found for age, as follows: six-year-olds exhibited longer cycle durations and higher variability, indicating a stage of development and potential differences in hand dominance; seven-year-olds demonstrated quicker and less variable performance, aligning with the expected maturation and the refined motor control associated with dominant hand training during the first year of school. The proposed sensor-based approach allowed the quantitative assessment of fine motor competence in children, providing a portable and rapid tool for monitoring developmental progress.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/7/2192inertial sensorsfine motor competencemotor development |
| spellingShingle | Maria Cristina Bisi Rita Stagni Sensor-Based Quantitative Assessment of Children’s Fine Motor Competence: An Instrumented Version of the Placing Bricks Test Sensors inertial sensors fine motor competence motor development |
| title | Sensor-Based Quantitative Assessment of Children’s Fine Motor Competence: An Instrumented Version of the Placing Bricks Test |
| title_full | Sensor-Based Quantitative Assessment of Children’s Fine Motor Competence: An Instrumented Version of the Placing Bricks Test |
| title_fullStr | Sensor-Based Quantitative Assessment of Children’s Fine Motor Competence: An Instrumented Version of the Placing Bricks Test |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sensor-Based Quantitative Assessment of Children’s Fine Motor Competence: An Instrumented Version of the Placing Bricks Test |
| title_short | Sensor-Based Quantitative Assessment of Children’s Fine Motor Competence: An Instrumented Version of the Placing Bricks Test |
| title_sort | sensor based quantitative assessment of children s fine motor competence an instrumented version of the placing bricks test |
| topic | inertial sensors fine motor competence motor development |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/7/2192 |
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