Human-machine-human interaction in motor control and rehabilitation: a review.
Emek Barış Küçüktabak, Sangjoon J Kim, Yue Wen and 2 others
PMID 34961530WHAT IT FOUND
Physical interaction with a skilled partner improved task performance, but evidence for motor learning was inconsistent.
Non-physical channels like audio boosted motivation. Partner preference mattered: some liked competition, others collaboration. Most studies were short-term and lab-based.
Key findings
01Dyads with both visual and physical interaction performed better and preferred this mode over visual-only interaction in cooperative tasks.
02Interacting with a more skilled partner consistently improved task performance during physical interaction, but effects on individual motor learning were conflicting.
03Patients exercising with friends or relatives at home showed higher motivation and engagement compared to exercising with strangers or therapists at a clinic.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Most studies were short-term and lab-based, with few examining long-term retention or transfer of skills. There is a lack of studies on lower-limb movements; all included studies focused on upper-limb tasks. Results on motor learning were conflicting, partly due to differences in experimental setups and haptic rendering fidelity. Few studies included participants with varying levels of impairment or different ages, limiting generalizability to diverse clinical populations. The review excluded studies where therapists only monitored patients, potentially overlooking telehealth benefits.
Declared interests
Funded by the National Science Foundation, Fulbright Association, and The Graduate School, Northwestern University. No commercial conflicts of interest were reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that improved task performance during a single session with a skilled partner leads to better long-term motor learning. The review found inconsistent evidence for learning effects, and most studies were too short to assess retention.