Rehabilitation robots

Author(s):  
Farshid Amirabdollahian
Author(s):  
Xinxin Sun ◽  
Wenkui Jin

AbstractRehabilitation robots are becoming an important means of assisted living for the elderly, and the appearance of rehabilitation robots directly affects the willingness of the elderly to interact with the robots. Much of the current research on robot appearance preferences relies solely on subjective evaluations, which are relatively cheap, but do not reach deep into the brain to get an accurate grasp of how humans respond to robot appearance. Using electroencephalogram signal and questionnaire survey, we studied the preference of the elderly for abstract and figurative robots. The experimental materials are derived from the pictures of 10 robots in the market. The electroencephalogram signal are collected by BrainVision Recorder and processed by BrainVision Analyzer, as well as SPSS statistical analysis. Experiment shows that the peak of figurative robot pictures is higher and the fluctuation is more intense from 350 ms to 600 ms in the central region and the right half of parietal region. While the peak of abstract robot pictures is higher and the fluctuation is more intense in the prefrontal region, and the difference between abstract robot and figurative robot is not obvious in the occipital region. Based on the electroencephalogram signal and experimental results, it provides the possibility for objective preference evaluation of the elderly to the robot designed features.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Li ◽  
Diansheng Chen ◽  
Yubo Fan

Lower limb rehabilitation robots are designed to enhance gait function in individuals with motor impairments. Although numerous rehabilitation robots have been developed, only few of these robots have been used in practical health care, particularly in China. The objective of this study is to construct a lower limb rehabilitation robot and bridge the gap between research and application. Open structure to facilitate practical application was created for the whole robot. Three typical movement patterns of a single leg were adopted in designing the exoskeletons, and force models for patient training were established and analyzed under three different conditions, respectively, and then a control system and security strategy were introduced. After establishing the robot, a preliminary experiment on the actual use of a prototype by patients was conducted to validate the functionality of the robot. The experiment showed that different patients and stages displayed different performances, and results on the trend variations across patients and across stages confirmed the validity of the robot and suggested that the design may lead to a system that could be successful in the treatment of patients with walking disorders in China. Furthermore, this study could provide a reference for a similar application design.


2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaci E. Madden ◽  
Ashish D. Deshpande

The field of rehabilitation robotics has emerged to address the growing desire to improve therapy modalities after neurological disorders, such as a stroke. For rehabilitation robots to be successful as clinical devices, a number of mechanical design challenges must be addressed, including ergonomic interactions, weight and size minimization, and cost–time optimization. We present additive manufacturing (AM) as a compelling solution to these challenges by demonstrating how the integration of AM into the development process of a hand exoskeleton leads to critical design improvements and substantially reduces prototyping cost and time.


AI Magazine ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 23-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Domen Novak ◽  
Robert Riener

Rehabilitation robots physically support and guide a patient's limb during motor therapy, but require sophisticated control algorithms and artificial intelligence to do so. This article provides an overview of the state of the art in this area. It begins with the dominant paradigm of assistive control, from impedance-based cooperative controller through electromyography and intention estimation. It then covers challenge-based algorithms, which provide more difficult and complex tasks for the patient to perform through resistive control and error augmentation. Furthermore, it describes exercise adaptation algorithms that change the overall exercise intensity based on the patient's performance or physiological responses, as well as socially assistive robots that provide only verbal and visual guidance. The article concludes with a discussion of the current challenges in rehabilitation robot software: evaluating existing control strategies in a clinical setting as well as increasing the robot's autonomy using entirely new artificial intelligence techniques.


Robotics ◽  
2013 ◽  
pp. 1212-1232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rogério Sales Gonçalves ◽  
João Carlos Mendes Carvalho

The science of rehabilitation shows that repeated movements of human limbs can help the patient regain function in the injured limb. There are three types of mechanical systems used for movement rehabilitation: robots, cable-based manipulators, and exoskeletons. Industrial robots can be used because they provide a three-dimensional workspace with a wide range of flexibility to execute different trajectories, which are useful for motion rehabilitation. The cable-based manipulators consist of a movable platform and a base, which are connected by multiple cables that can extend or retract. The exoskeleton is fixed around the patient's limb to provide the physiotherapy movements. This chapter presents a summary of the principal human limb movements, a review of several mechanical systems used for rehabilitation, as well as common mathematical models of such systems.


Author(s):  
Robert Bogue

Purpose This paper aims to provide an insight into the emerging use of robots in the rehabilitation of sufferers from strokes and other neurological impediments. Design/methodology/approach This considers research, clinical trials and commercial products. Following an introduction, it explains brain neuroplasticity and its role in rehabilitation and then discusses the use of robots in the restoration of upper limb and hand movement in stroke and traumatic injury patients. Robotic techniques aimed at restoring ambulatory ability are then discussed, followed by examples of the application of brain–computer interface technology to robotic rehabilitation. Finally, concluding comments are drawn. Findings Research has shown that robotic techniques can assist in the restoration of functionality to partially or fully paralysed upper and lower limbs. A growing number of commercial exoskeleton and end-effector robotic products have been launched which are augmenting conventional rehabilitation therapies. These systems frequently include interactive computer games and tasks which encourage repetitive use and allow patients to monitor their progress. Trials which combine robotics with brain–computer interface technology have yielded encouraging and unexpectedly positive results. Originality/value This provides details of the increasingly important role played by robots in the rehabilitation of patients suffering from strokes and other neurological disorders.


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