*Update* Dexterit-E and Dexterit-E Explorer 3.9.3 released.
Dexterit-E & Dexterit-E Explorer 3.9.3 contains important bug fixes and usability enhancements. . This is considered a mandatory update.
Queen’s Cinq à Sept Research Talks: You can’t fix what you can’t see!
With thanks to Queen’s Faculty of Health Sciences for this post.
Dr. Stephen Scott
Professor, Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences (cross appointed to the Department of Medicine)
Incoming Vice Dean Research for Queen’s Health Sciences
Dr. Scott stars in the role of researcher – and inventor – in this exploration of the impact of his robot, Kinarm, which is changing the way we understand the brain. The groundbreaking robot allows researchers to perform clinical testing to assess a broad range of brain functions including motor skills, perception, memory, and decision making.
Trained in systems designs engineering, and with a background in physiology, Dr. Scott has combined two areas of expertise into something incredible. Kinarm is used to assess neurological impairments related to stroke, MS, ALS, Transient Ischemic Attacks, Parkinson’s disease, kidney dialysis, and more.
Dr. Scott holds the GSK Chair in Neuroscience and has won several awards for innovative research. He is widely respected in Canada as a forward thinker and a team researcher, with a huge number of collaborations across disciplines; you’ll see why through his Research Talk.
Watch now »
Technical Bulletin: Kinarm Gaze-Tracker; Impact of Reducing the Number Calibration Targets
Abstract:
The 13-point calibration routine for the Kinarm Gaze-Tracker is slow, and often difficult to achieve a good subject calibration with, often requiring multiple calibration attempts. Two factors contribute to these problems: the large number of target locations used in the calibration routine and the large size of the region over which the calibration is performed. This study quantified the effects on calibration accuracy when each of these factors was reduced. The results show that reducing the number of targets from 13 to 5 has a small impact on calibration accuracy (1.0±0.6° vs 1.1±0.7°) while significantly reducing the total time for the calibration routine. Further, reducing the size of the 5-point calibration region from 100% to 70% had only a marginal increase in uncertainty (1.2±0.9°). It is recommended that for most Kinarm users a 5-point calibration routine will save time without sacrificing the quality of the collected data.
Randomization Bug in Dex 3.8 & 3.9
Please be advised that if you are running a custom task program in 3.8.x or 3.9.x that there is a randomization bug in the Block Table if square brackets are used in the TP List (i.e. TP List in the Block Table = 10-15, [1, 2, 3]) and List Reps or Block Reps are > 1. Round brackets in the TP List are not affected by this issue. If List Reps and Block Reps are 1 then there is no problem.
Any TPs listed inside square brackets will always be randomized to the same order for a given block. The randomized order will be different each time the task is run.
While the bug will be fixed in an upcoming release, we wanted to provide immediate notice to all potential users as the bug is difficult to detect.
To workaround the bug, manually repeat the TP List as many times as required.
If you need to randomize TP List = 5, [1,2,3], List Reps = 2, Block Reps = 2 then instead use:
TP List = [5, [1,2,3]], [5, [1,2,3]], [5, [1,2,3]], [5, [1,2,3]], List Reps = 1, Block Reps = 1
Our thanks to the lab in Calgary who spotted the bug and reported it to us.
Neuroscience 2021: How to connect with us virtually!
Neuroscience is next week, and while we truly wish we could meet you in-person, we hope that you will connect with us through one of these options:
Attend one of our Neuroscience Virtual Networking Events
Impact of COVID 19: recovery phase
Like all businesses around the world, we are feeling the impacts of COVID 19. To keep you abreast of the impact, we’ve started this blog:
Advisory re bug in NI-6229 Block of TDK 3.9 *Corrected*
*Update* Advisory has been corrected with the release of Dexterit-E 3.9.1
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————Advisory posted 18-Jun-21, re bug in the NI-6229 block
- The bug affects those sending out digital out pulses only AND running MATLAB R2019b
- Analog output is not affected.
- This bug will be fixed with 3.9.1 expected early July 2021.
- The workaround is to unlink the Sync TTL block, copy the BKIN 6229 DO block inside it and use that instead.
- Please contact support@kinarm.com if you need help with the workaround.
Ref: CC-1205
Kinarm End-Point Lab (PN 14332) Released
We are pleased to announce the release of our latest model of Kinarm End-Point Lab, PN 14332.
This updated design includes many “under-the-hood” enhancements that preserve the ‘feel’ and function of the old Kinarm End-Point robot (PN 10288, first released in 2010) while bringing the overall electronics design up to current day standards.
To an experienced user, you may find it difficult to find the differences!
Stephen Scott spoke at KITE, UHN, June 28, 2020
Can robotic technology bring neurological assessment into the 21st century?
Stephen H. Scott
Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Dept. of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6 Canada
Location: KITE, University Health Network, Toronto
Kinarm Camp 2021: Registration is closed
Our 8th annual Kinarm Camp, will be held Monday, May 17 – Friday, May 21, 2021 ‘virtually’ from ~ 10 am EDT to 4 pm EDT
The objective of the Camp is to provide focused training on Custom Task development for Kinarm Labs. The five-day agenda is tailored to Basic Researchers and will provide hands-on learning on the use of MATLAB Simulink and Stateflow to develop Custom Task Programs for the Kinarm Lab. New users, graduate students, and post docs are all invited to attend. Clinical researchers with an interest in Custom Task development are also welcome to attend.