Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable

J Vis Exp. 2024 May 17:(207). doi: 10.3791/65949.

Abstract

Developing objective and quantitative methods of early gross motor assessment is essential to better understand neurodevelopment and to support early therapeutic interventions. Here, we present a method to quantify gross motor performance using a multisensor wearable, MAIJU (Motility Assessment of Infants with a JUmpsuit), which offers an automated, scalable, quantitative, and objective assessment using a fully automated cloud-based pipeline. This wearable suit is equipped with four movement sensors that record synchronized data to a mobile phone utilizing a low-energy Bluetooth connection. An offline analysis in the cloud server generates fully analyzed results within minutes for each recording. These results include a graphical report of the recording session and a detailed result matrix that gives second-by-second classifications for posture, movement, infant carrying, and free playtime. Our recent results show the virtue of such quantified motor assessment providing a potentially effective method for distinguishing variations in the infant's gross motor development.

Publication types

  • Video-Audio Media

MeSH terms

  • Child Development / physiology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Motor Skills / physiology
  • Wearable Electronic Devices*