Table 6 Description of user intent detection modalities with relative advantages and disadvantages

Bend Sensors – Digits

Sensors are placed on all finger joints and a joint pattern analysis can detect a user’s specific intended hand motion

Is able to differentiate specific hand motions and does not require electrode placement by the patient

Cannot be used in patients with complete hand paralysis

Pressure Sensors - Digits

Bend Sensors – Wrist

A bend sensor is placed on the wrist as wrist motion is likely still a familiar motion in patients with hand impairment

Simple to implement and can reliably detect wrist motion. Does not require electrode placement by the patient

May not be able to distinguish specific hand motions and requires wrist motion to be intact

EEG

An EEG pattern analysis was obtained on healthy patients in order to be able to identify similar patterns in patients with hand paralysis

Can be implemented in a patient with complete paralysis because acquires signal for intent at the beginning of motor pathway

Requires many electrodes to be placed on the head and may be the least reliable means of detection of user intent of those presented

sEMG

Electrodes are placed on major muscles of the forearm to detect myoelectric activity in order to gauge user intent

Reliably detects forearm activity and is able to differentiate some specific hand motions

Requires some residual level of muscle activity

Voice activated

Voice commands can operate the device

Unambiguously controls the device

Not a part of neuromuscular pathway so effects on neuroplasticity are less clear