{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,28]],"date-time":"2026-02-28T04:27:32Z","timestamp":1772252852943,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,4,17]],"date-time":"2017-04-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1492387200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This article presents a new sensor for use by people with spastic disorders and similar conditions and enables them to steer and control medical devices such as electric powered wheelchairs. As spastic patients often suffer from cramping of their extremities, which can then no longer be controlled, using a standard joystick while operating a powered wheelchair can lead to dangerous situations. To prevent this, we designed a sensor based on strain gauges, which is shaped like a flat disc that can be operated using any body part. By shifting weight along the x- and y-axis, the disc tilts in all directions thereby generating proportionate output signals. The disc can also be pressed downward (z-axis), for example, to open a wheelchair\u2019s menu. Thanks to the sensor\u2019s flat disc-like construction and the option of mounting it into a control panel, users are not in danger of becoming stuck on the disc during spastic episodes. In the event of a spasm, body parts simply slide over the disc reducing risk of unintended actions. The sensor is adaptive and adjustable enabling it to fit a user\u2019s range of strength and motion at any time. It was developed to ensure users can operate sensitive systems safely.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s17040880","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,4,18]],"date-time":"2017-04-18T11:22:04Z","timestamp":1492514524000},"page":"880","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["A New Input Device for Spastics Based on Strain Gauge"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Niels","family":"Buchhold","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Health Care Engineering with European Testing and Certification Body of Medical Devices, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 16\/II, 8010 Graz, Austria"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3763-5195","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christian","family":"Baumgartner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Health Care Engineering with European Testing and Certification Body of Medical Devices, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 16\/II, 8010 Graz, Austria"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,4,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"254","DOI":"10.3390\/s17020254","article-title":"A New, Adaptable, Optical High-Resolution 3-Axis Sensor","volume":"17","author":"Buchhold","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sensors"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hu, X., Afsharipour, B., Rymer, W.Z., and Suresh, N.L. (2016, January 16\u201320). Impairment of Muscle Force Transmission in Spastic-Paretic Muscles of Stroke Survivors. Proceedings of the 2016 38th annual international conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), Orlando, FL, USA.","DOI":"10.1109\/EMBC.2016.7592120"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"164","DOI":"10.1109\/TRE.2000.847807","article-title":"Brain-computer interface technology: A review of the first international meeting","volume":"8","author":"Wolpaw","year":"2000","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Rehabil. Eng. Publ."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"Kim, K.-N., and Ramakrishna, R.S. (1999, January 12\u201315). Vision-Based Eye-Gaze Tracking for Human Computer Interface. Proceedings of the IEEE SMC\u201999 Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, Tokyo, Japan."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Malkin, J., House, B., and Bilmes, J. (May, January 28). Control of Simulated Arm with the Vocal Joystick. 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