Development of a Mechatronic System for the Mirror Therapy

This paper fits into the field of research concerning robotic systems for rehabilitation. Robotic systems are going to be increasingly used to assist fragile persons and to perform rehabilitation tasks for persons affected by motion injuries. Among the recovery therapies, the mirror therapy was shown to be effective for the functional recovery of an arm after stroke. In this paper we present a master/slave robotic device based on the mirror therapy paradigm for wrist rehabilitation. The device is designed to orient the affected wrist in real time according to the imposed motion of the healthy wrist. The paper shows the kinematic analysis of the system, the numerical simulations, an experimental mechatronic set-up, and a built 3D-printed prototype.

Lower limb rehabilitation robotics: The current understanding and technology

BACKGROUND: With the increasing rate of ambulatory disabilities and rise in the elderly population, advance methods to deliver the rehabilitation and assistive services to patients have become important. Lower limb robotic therapeutic and assistive aids have been found to improve the rehabilitation outcome. OBJECTIVE: The article aims to present the updated understanding in the field of lower limb rehabilitation robotics and identify future research avenues. METHODS: Groups of keywords relating to assistive technology, rehabilitation robotics, and lower limb were combined and searched in EMBASE, IEEE Xplore Digital Library, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar database. RESULTS: Based on the literature collected from the databases we provide an overview of the understanding of robotics in rehabilitation and state of the art devices for lower limb rehabilitation. Technological advancements in rehabilitation robotic architecture (sensing, actuation and control) and biomechanical considerations in design have been discussed. Finally, a discussion on the major advances, research directions, and challenges is presented. CONCLUSIONS: Although the use of robotics has shown a promising approach to rehabilitation and reducing the burden on caregivers, extensive and innovative research is still required in both cognitive and physical human-robot interaction to achieve treatment efficacy and efficiency.

Tele-Rehabilitation Versus Local Rehabilitation Therapies Assisted by Robotic Devices: A Pilot Study with Patients

The present study aims to evaluate the advantages of a master-slave robotic rehabilitation therapy in which the patient is assisted in real-time by a therapist. We have also explored if this type of strategy is applicable in a tele-rehabilitation environment. A pilot study has been carried out involving 10 patients who have performed a point-to-point rehabilitation exercise supported by three assistance modalities: fixed assistance (without therapist interaction), local therapist assistance, and remote therapist assistance in a simulated tele-rehabiliation scenario. The rehabilitation exercise will be performed using an upper-limb rehabilitation robotic device that assists the patients through force fields. The results suggest that the assistance provided by the therapist is better adapted to patient needs than fixed assistance mode. Therefore, it maximizes the patient’s level of effort, which is an important aspect to improve the rehabilitation outcomes. We have also seen that in a tele-rehabilitation environment it is more difficult to assess when to assist the patient than locally. However, the assistance suits patients better than the fixed assistance mode.

Control of a Rehabilitation Robotic Device Driven by Antagonistic Soft Actuators

Stroke is becoming a widely concerned social problem, and robot-assisted devices have made considerable contributions in the training and treatment of rehabilitation. Due to the compliance and continuous deformation capacity, rehabilitation devices driven by soft actuators are attached to widespread attention. Considering the large output force of pneumatic artificial muscle (PAM) and the biological musculoskeletal structure, an antagonistic PAM-driven rehabilitation robotic device is developed. To fulfill the need for control of the proposed device, a knowledge-guided data-driven modeling approach is used and an adaptive feedforward–feedback control approach is presented to ensure the motion accuracy under large deformation motion with high frequency. Finally, several simulations and experiments are carried out to evaluate the performance of the developed system, and the results show that the developed system with the proposed controller can achieve expected control performance under various operations.

MINI REVIEW: THE APPLICATION OF BRAIN-COMPUTER INTERFACES IN ROBOTIC THERAPY

The idea of robotic therapy has been considered as a possible rehabilitation strategy to facilitate recovery of the patients with disability and it can represent an efficient treatment. Brain-computer interface (BCI) is known as an advanced technology with great potential in therapeutic and assistive robots. This paper is presented to review the application of BCI in rehabilitation robotic systems through the combination of BCI with electroencephalography (EEG) and functional electrical stimulation (FES). For this purpose, the basic concept of each of BCI, EEG, and FES is introduced to give a general view of their function. In addition, the application of EEG-BCI and FES-BCI systems in therapeutic and assistive treatments is showed by providing a summary of different researches for each field. In the end, this document is terminated with a discussion about the arguments behind the studied topics and the future directions of advances in robotic therapy.

Converging Robotic Technologies in Targeted Neural Rehabilitation: A Review of Emerging Solutions and Challenges

Recent advances in the field of neural rehabilitation, facilitated through technological innovation and improved neurophysiological knowledge of impaired motor control, have opened up new research directions. Such advances increase the relevance of existing interventions, as well as allow novel methodologies and technological synergies. New approaches attempt to partially overcome long-term disability caused by spinal cord injury, using either invasive bridging technologies or noninvasive human–machine interfaces. Muscular dystrophies benefit from electromyography and novel sensors that shed light on underlying neuromotor mechanisms in people with Duchenne. Novel wearable robotics devices are being tailored to specific patient populations, such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, and amputated individuals. In addition, developments in robot-assisted rehabilitation may enhance motor learning and generate movement repetitions by decoding the brain activity of patients during therapy. This is further facilitated by artificial intelligence algorithms coupled with faster electronics. The practical impact of integrating such technologies with neural rehabilitation treatment can be substantial. They can potentially empower nontechnically trained individuals—namely, family members and professional carers—to alter the programming of neural rehabilitation robotic setups, to actively get involved and intervene promptly at the point of care. This narrative review considers existing and emerging neural rehabilitation technologies through the perspective of replacing or restoring functions, enhancing, or improving natural neural output, as well as promoting or recruiting dormant neuroplasticity. Upon conclusion, we discuss the future directions for neural rehabilitation research, diagnosis, and treatment based on the discussed technologies and their major roadblocks. This future may eventually become possible through technological evolution and convergence of mutually beneficial technologies to create hybrid solutions.