Mechatronic technologies for behavioral analysis

Behavioural Analysis is a medical discipline aiming at the study of external expressions of a living being to go back to causes generating them. The study of behaviour classically grounds on subjective researcher's observations performed by the assistance of low technological devices (i.e. videotapes). In this dissertation new solutions will be proposed addressing to behavioural analysis targets by the use of mechatronic technologies and approaches. A first application concerns the design and the development of a mechatronic platform for tremor analysis in mouse models aiming at the understanding of physiological motor and cognitive basic mechanisms. Then other methods for behaviour analysis on humans in catching tests and in isometric tasks of Activities Daily Living are presented, including the discussion the obtained results.