EMG Sonification as a Tool for Functional Rehabilitation of Spinal-Cord Injury.

Spinal cord injury is one of the most serious causes of disability that can affect people's lives. In tetraplegia, the loss of mobility of the upper limb has a devastating effect on the quality of life and independence of these patients, so their rehabilitation is considered a crucial objective. We present a tool for functional motor rehabilitation of the upper limb in patients with spinal cord injury, based on the use of bio-sensors and the sonification of EMG activity during the repetitive execution of a specific gesture. During the hospital stay, the patient has a wide range of therapies available to improve motor function or compensate for loss of mobility, including execution of different maneuvers. The repetitive and continuous performance of these tasks is a key element in motor recovery. However, in many cases, these tasks do not include sufficient feedback mechanisms to help the patient or to motivate him/her during execution. Through the sonification of movement and the design of adapted interaction strategies, our research aims to offer a new therapeutic tool that musically transforms the gesture and expands the patient's mechanisms of expression, proprioception and cognition, in order to optimize, correct and motivate movement.