Analyzing motoric and physiological data in describing upper extremity movement in the aged

Cognitive functions, motoric expression, and changes in physiology are often studied separately, with little attention to the relationships or correlations among them. The study presented in this paper implements an integrated approach by combining motion capture (action) and EMG (physiological) parameters as synchronized data streams resulting from the action and associated physiological data. The reported experiments were designed to measure the preparatory movement capabilities of the upper extremities. In particular, measurement of changes in preparatory activity during the aging process is of interest in this context, as the attempt is to develop means to compensate for loss of adaptive capabilities that aging entails. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to quantify preparation phases (timing and intensity). Motion capture and EMG parameters were measured when subjects raised their arms without constraint (condition one) and raised their arms while holding a ball (second condition). Furthermore, on comparing aging and young participants, it was confirmed that with aging the temporal relationships between actual movement and the preceding EMG signal change.