Camera-based reachable workspace (RSA) was significantly associated with wrist-worn measures of real-world arm performance after stroke, particularly Active and Diverse Exploratory Movement (ADEM, ρ = 0.66, p = 0.01), linking laboratory workspace capacity to daily life arm use.
Total reachable workspace surface area (RSA) was reduced in the paretic limb compared with the nonparetic limb in chronic stroke survivors.
Greater total RSA was significantly associated with Active and Diverse Exploratory Movement (ADEM) measured by smartwatch.
The association between total RSA and Gross Movement and Activity Count (GMAC) was numerically weaker and non-significant.
RSA was significantly associated with all three clinical outcome measures: Box and Block Test (BBT), Upper-Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UEFM), and Motor Activity Log (MAL).
Participants wore a smartwatch on the affected arm to capture real-world arm use behavior over the monitoring period.
This research suggests that the amount of three-dimensional space a stroke survivor can reach with their affected arm — measured in a clinical setting using cameras — is meaningfully linked to how much and how diversely they actually move that arm in daily life. Scientists measured 'reachable workspace' in 14 people with chronic stroke, then had them wear a smartwatch on their affected arm to track real-world movement patterns. The stroke-affected arm had a noticeably smaller reachable workspace than the unaffected arm, confirming the real-world impact of stroke on arm mobility. The key finding was that people with a larger reachable workspace tended to use their arm more actively and in more varied ways during everyday life, as captured by the 'Active and Diverse Exploratory Movement' smartwatch metric (correlation of 0.66). A related metric tracking general arm activity showed a similar but weaker and non-significant trend. Reachable workspace also correlated significantly with standard clinical tests of arm function, including a dexterity test, a motor impairment assessment, and a self-reported daily arm use questionnaire. This research suggests that measuring reachable workspace in a clinic could help predict how well stroke survivors will use their arms in real daily life — a connection that has previously been difficult to establish. Combining camera-based workspace assessments with wearable technology may offer a more complete picture of arm recovery after stroke, potentially helping clinicians better tailor rehabilitation programs.
Cornella-Barba G, Gunn N, Chan V, Reinkensmeyer D, Han J. (2026). Comparison of Reachable Workspace Capacity to Real-World Arm Use Performance: A Wearable Accelerometry Study on Chronic Stroke.. Sensors (Basel, Switzerland). https://doi.org/10.3390/s26175651