Making everyday object handling more predictable
Predictability in complex object control
This project looks at how people, including those with hand or arm movement problems, can learn to make handling objects with tricky internal motion—like a cup of coffee—more predictable using virtual tasks and a robotic handle.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northeastern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11284045 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would interact with a virtual object that behaves like a cup with moving contents while holding a robotic manipulandum in a lab. The team models the cup as a cart-and-pendulum system and runs multiple experiments to see how people move to reduce surprises and spills. Researchers analyze how hand and object motions become correlated and whether people adopt stable, error-tolerant strategies. The goal is to understand approaches that could be used to design better rehab training and assistive tools.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with reduced manual dexterity or arm/hand movement problems (for example after a stroke) who can travel to the lab and follow simple movement instructions.
Not a fit: People with severe cognitive impairment, inability to travel to Boston, or those whose problems are unrelated to arm/hand control may not benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to rehabilitation methods and devices that help people with arm or hand weakness handle everyday objects more safely and reliably.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work shows that practice and robotic feedback can improve motor control, but applying these ideas to objects with internal dynamics (like sloshing liquids) is a newer direction.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Northeastern University — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sternad, Dagmar — Northeastern University
- Study coordinator: Sternad, Dagmar
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.