Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40336111›Full record

ArticleBiomedical engineering online2025

Modification of the toronto rehabilitation institute-hand function test for integration into robot-assisted therapy: technical validation and usability.

Aisha Raji, Stephanie DiNunzio, Andrew Whitmell, Cesar Marquez-Chin, Milos R Popovic

Abstract readValidation Study
In one paragraph

Article in Biomedical engineering online, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Aisha RajiKITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, 550 University Ave, Toronto, M5G 2A2, ON, Canada. aisha.raji@mail.utoronto.ca.
Stephanie DiNunzioKITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, 550 University Ave, Toronto, M5G 2A2, ON, Canada.
Andrew WhitmellKITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, 550 University Ave, Toronto, M5G 2A2, ON, Canada.
Cesar Marquez-ChinKITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, 550 University Ave, Toronto, M5G 2A2, ON, Canada.
Milos R PopovicKITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, 550 University Ave, Toronto, M5G 2A2, ON, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEffective rehabilitation of the upper extremity function is vital for individuals recovering from stroke or cervical spinal cord injury, as it can enable them to regain independence in daily tasks. While robotic therapy provides precise and consistent motor training, it often lacks the integration of real-world objects that stimulate sensorimotor experiences. The Toronto Rehabilitation Institute-Hand Function Test (TRI-HFT) utilizes 19 everyday items to assess hand function. This study aims to modify the 3D-printed TRI-HFT objects to ensure their compatibility with robotic manipulation, thereby enhancing the functional relevance of robot-assisted rehabilitation, and to evaluate the usability of the new robotic system to ensure its safety and technical performance.

resultsWe successfully redesigned the 3D-TRI-HFT objects to enable manipulation by a robotic arm equipped with a gripper. The modified 3D-printed objects closely matched the original specifications, with most weight and size deviations within acceptable limits. Performance tests demonstrated reliable robotic manipulation, achieving a 100% success rate in 50 pick-and-place trials for each object without any breakage or slippage. Usability assessments further supported the system's performance, indicating that participants found the system engaging, useful, and comfortable.

conclusionsThe modified 3D-printed TRI-HFT objects allow seamless integration into robotic therapy, facilitating the use of real-world objects in rehabilitation exercises. These modifications enhance functional engagement without compromising user interaction with the objects, demonstrating the feasibility of combining traditional rehabilitation tools with robotic systems, potentially leading to improved outcomes in upper extremity rehabilitation. Future research may focus on adapting these designs for compatibility with a broader range of robotic equipment, reducing the cost of the objects as 3D printing technology advances, and evaluating the system's performance among individuals with stroke and SCI.

Indexed as

HandRehabilitationRoboticsAdultFemaleHumansMalePrinting, Three-Dimensional3D printingCollaborative robot (cobot)Robot-assisted therapyRobotic assistanceRobotic rehabilitationSpinal cord injury (SCI)StrokeToronto Rehabilitation Institute—Hand Function Test (TRI-HFT)Upper extremity

Identifiers

PMID40336111
PMCPMC12060526

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.