Handcycling Assessment Through a Bench Simulator: Preliminary Analysis of IMUs Positioning on an Artificial Upper Limb Mechanism (AULM)

Handbikes offer enhanced mobility and efficiency compared to traditional wheelchairs, particularly benefiting individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI). Studying handcycling poses challenges due to anatomical variations and the need for minimally invasive instrumentation adaptable to various environments. This paper aims at identifying the optimal sensor configuration of Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) for handcycling analysis. An artificial upper limb mechanism mimicking the human arm movement during handcycling was employed, evaluating the signals collected with IMUs positioned at significant locations. Acceleration captured by the IMUs was recorded and analyzed through descriptive statistics. Results suggest that some positions (D and A) may minimize the repeatability error among repetitions. Further investigation is needed to understand variations observed at the equivalent upper-arm position (B). This study lays groundwork for accurate measurement of real arm movements in future handcycling studies.