Advanced Joystick Algorithms for Computer Access Tasks

The study compares two types of joysticks: a standard joystick that moves and an isometric joystick that senses force without moving. It also looks at how well two different computer algorithms can correct unintentional cursor movements caused by spasticity. Participants with conditions like multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury used these joysticks with and without the algorithms to perform computer tasks. The researchers measured how quickly and accurately the participants could move the cursor along different paths. The results showed that the isometric joystick and the algorithms helped improve accuracy, especially on complex tasks. This suggests that these technologies could be useful for people with motor impairments who use computers.

• 1
  Participants moved the cursor more accurately using the isometric joystick compared to the movement-sensing joystick, with only a slight increase in the task completion times.
• 2
  Both the PID and LM algorithms were effective in suppressing unintentional cursor motions, especially when compared to using no correction algorithms.
• 3
  Higher levels of spasticity were associated with lower performance, as indicated by increased movement offset, movement variability, and percentage of out-of-path motion.