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GOAL:to develop an interactive, client-based strengthening and testing device for patients with hand weaknesses resulting from neurological disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis. The device is intended to be used at a patient’s home. Test information will be initiated and recorded on a patient’s home PC via a force transducer. The data will then be sent to the physicians server for proper analysis. This system will reduce medical and transportation costs for patients--especially those who have mobility problems.
As of 12/13/02
We have developed a workable VB program that can cycle through patient commands and simultaneously run LabJack software that displays and records data from the force transducer. Use of this application optimizes user friendliness during exercise because it creates a visual interpretation of transducer input during exercise.
Future work will include optimizing the user program so that it fits multiple patient needs--such as a rehabilitation program.
| Week | Reporting Period Beginning | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 6 | Formation of team, discuss and select roles, contacted and met with client (9/11 @ UW-hospital), observed system used to analyze MS patients |
| 2 | September 13 | Met with Daryn Belden (software expert), discussed and began to develop PDS |
| 3 | September 20 | Formation of problem statement, formation of PDS |
| 4 | September 27 | Brainstorming and research, Meeting with Rick Konopacki (technical resource), Met with Selim Dogan (lab technician) to observe MS patients in the lab |
| 5 | October 4 | Continued research on software implementation and interface design, Began working on mid-semester report and presentation |
| 6 | October 11 | Rough draft of mid-semester report, selected alternative designs and ultimateley the proposed design |
| 7 | October 18 | Finishing touches to reports and presentations, 10/18: mid-semester reports handed in and presentation given, met with prof. Jim Abbs (client) and Rick Konopacki on 10/23, combination of interface and software teams, selected to use Visual Basic 6 for programming |
| 8 | October 25 | Formation of new subgroups to maximize development efficiency: 1) Visual Basic programming 2) Transducer/labjack setup 3) Interface design, meeting with client and Rick Konopacki (10/30), |
| 9 | November 1 | Met with Dr. Abbs and Rick . Obtained transducer and hardware. Ran graphing software for the transducer |
| 10 | November 8 | Met with Dr. Abbs and Rick – obtained 2nd lateral pinch transducer. Learned that interface should be Patient-specific with set options for the patient . . . no choices should be available to the patient – only to the doctor. |
| 11 | November 15 | Decided on four important steps to take following our successful meeting with Jason, the VB expert: 1. Modify the Interface (make screens uniform – colors nice), 2. Figure out how to save data in an Excel Spreadsheet, 3. Work on the Fine Control Test coding in VB using the Max Test coding made by Jason. |
| 12 | November 22 | Decided on primary and secondary expertise areas for all group members. The areas include: Coding (split into three sections), Calibration/Excel Data Storage, Hardware (Transducer, Amplifier, LabJack), Testing Protocol, Mulitple Sclerosis. |
| 13 | November 29 | Finished calibration of transducer, Finishing touches on program (improving display & changing color schemes), Began writing new paper sections, Completed outline of poster presentation, Also met with client & computer expert. |
| 14 | December 6 | Completion of paper, Downloaded workable program onto laptop for poster presentation demo, Meeting with client (12/11), Continuing work on poster presentation. |
| 15 | December 13 | Presented final poster in the new Engineering Centers Building |
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Midsemester Presentation (entire team) (Nov 6 2002, 165 kb) |
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Interface subgroup: Emily, Andrew, and Herlina's mid-semester report. (Nov 6 2002, 610 kb) |
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Visual Basic Flow Diagram (by Andrew Wentland) (Dec 14 2002, 29 kb) |
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Project Design Specifications (revised 12/11/02) (Dec 11 2002, 20 kb) |
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Final Poster Presentation (Dec 12 2002, 260 kb) |
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Final Paper (Dec 14 2002, 1242 kb) |
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Software subgroup: Anne, Mike, Yao, and Heather's mid-semester report (Dec 14 2002, 128 kb) |
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Updated Visual Basic Flow Diagram (Dec 14 2002, 29 kb) |
