Date of Award

Spring 2024

Document Type

Thesis

Terms of Use

© 2024 Deven Ayambem. All rights reserved. This work is freely available courtesy of the author. It may only be used for non-commercial, educational, and research purposes. For all other uses, including reproduction and distribution, please contact the copyright holder.

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Engineering Department

First Advisor

Joseph Towles

Abstract

This report explores the therapeutic potential of rhythmic movement to music, focusing specifically on the "wave dance" movements of the human hand. Utilizing a mechanical analog, the study models the hand as a system of five interconnected mass-spring-dampers to simulate the dynamic and kinematic responses of the hand's joints to rhythmic stimuli. Through a combined approach of MATLAB simulation and physical modeling with servo motors controlled by Arduino, the project aims to quantify and visualize the effects of rhythmic movements on joint dynamics. The simulation employs the mass-spring-damper system to represent each joint and uses an impulse response approach to model the propagation of wave-like motions across the hand. The results are expected to provide valuable insights into the applicability of rhythmic movement in physical therapy, particularly for improving fine motor skills and coordination in rehabilitation settings.

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