Moderated Poster Australian and New Zealand Stroke Organisation Conference 2025

Emergent motion capture technology for upper extremity assessment in stroke: a systematic scoping review (122544)

Jarrad Fisher 1 2 , Kate Makroglou 3 , Justine Tinker 4 , Christine Shiner 5 , Alexandra Hurden 1 , Jack Weston 6 , Lorraine Li 7 , Ceyaan Rauniyar 2 , Natasha Lannin 8 9 , Craig Anderson 1 2 10 , Xiaoying Chen 1 2
  1. Brain Health Program , The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney
  2. University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. Australian Catholic University, Sydney, NSW
  4. St George Hospital, Syndey, NSW
  5. St Vincents Hospital, Sydney, NSW
  6. Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States
  7. Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, NSW
  8. Monash University, Melbourne, VIC
  9. Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC
  10. Fudan University, Yangpu District, Shanghai, China

Background: Up to 88% of stroke survivors experience upper limb impairments, impacting their independence. Current clinical assessment tools often lack objectivity and sensitivity. Motion capture (MoCap) technologies address these limitations by providing precise kinematic data. This review evaluates emergent MoCap technologies for upper limb assessment post-stroke, focusing on clinical applicability and research gaps.

Methods: A systematic scoping review was conducted following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Searches in PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, CENTRAL, and IEEE-Xplore identified quantitative studies from 2014-2024. Included studies examined MoCap technologies’ clinical use for assessing upper limb function in adults post-stroke. Data extraction covered device types, technical specifications, outcomes, strengths, and limitations.

Results: From 3,083 records, 166 studies met inclusion criteria. The most frequently used technologies were optical MoCap (OMC; n=59), and inertial measurement units (IMUs; n=53).  Electromyography (EMG; n=28) and fusion systems (n=22) were also frequently used. Smart devices (n=4) were less commonly assessed. Markerless OMC demonstrated high accuracy and clinical feasibility, while IMUs offered portable, real-world monitoring. EMG provided insights into neuromuscular activation patterns. Fusion systems enabled comprehensive assessments but were limited by high costs and complexity. Smart-device systems showed promise for remote monitoring but lacked precision for detailed evaluations. Common barriers included high costs, complex setups, and inconsistent impairment severity reporting.

Conclusion: Emergent MoCap technologies offer promising capabilities for post-stroke upper limb assessment. However, challenges related to accessibility, cost, precision, and standardisation persist. Future research should prioritise validating systems in diverse clinical environments, particularly for acute and subacute populations, and developing low-cost, scalable solutions for home-based use.