Nintendo WII remote and nunchuck as a wireless data subsystem for digital acquisition of analog physiologic data relevant to motor rehabilitation after stroke; poster

Abstract

The Nintendo wiimote sends 22 byte data packets to the Wii console over a blue tooth wireless channel at a typical rate of 100 packets per second. The wiimote wireless channel can be made to carry arbitrary digitized analog data via an I2C serial expansion port. The nunchuck I2C accessory unit provides a convenient five channel input port for analog data. One simply substitutes their signals for any of two channels of joystick axes and three axes of accelerometry which are part of the standard nunchuck configuration. This research describes customizing the low-cost and widely-available wiimote to be used to transmit relevant physiological data from stroke patients while they perform therapy exercises. An example is grip pressure or finger force from a handle while they are exercising in a virtual environment presented on a computer screen. This wiimote wireless data acquisition subsystem may be adequate to achieve a low-cost therapy oriented data system for the hand.