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We propose a novel method for movement assistance that is based on adaptive oscillators, i.e., mathematical tools that are capable of extracting the high-level features (amplitude, frequency, and offset) of a periodic signal. Such an oscillator acts like a filter on these features, but keeps its output in phase with respect to the input signal. Using a simple inverse model, we predicted the torque...
Many daily tasks require that a person use both hands simultaneously, such as moving a large book or opening the lid on a jar. Such bimanual tasks are difficult for people who have a stroke, but the tight neural coupling across the body has been hypothesized to allow individuals to self-rehabilitate by physically coupling their hands. To examine potential methods for robot-assisted bimanual rehabilitation,...
Numerous haptic devices have been developed for neurorehabilitation of upper extremities, but their wide-spread use has been largely impeded for reasons of complexity and cost. In this paper we describe a variable structure pantograph mechanism that produces a versatile rehabilitation robot for movement training of the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. The device has three operational modes: ARM, REACH...
A functional electrical stimulation (FES)-robot system controlled by subjects' motor intention was developed in our previous study. The effectiveness of the FES-robot on wrist training was investigated in this work. Five hemiplegic subjects with chronic stroke were recruited for an FES-robot assisted wrist training with 20 sessions. After the training, motor improvements were found in the wrist and...
In this paper, a 3-DOF parallel mechanism which is wearable for human hip joint power assist is proposed. Different from the conventional power assist system, the proposed wearable parallel mechanism is formed by both mechanical links/joints and human bones/joints. Considering the anatomical mechanism of human hip joint, the 3-DOF wearable system consists of two connected modules, the 3-DOF hip joint...
Augmented feedback plays an essential role in stroke rehabilitation therapy. When a force is applied to the arm, an augmented sensory (proprioceptive) cue is provided. The question was to find out if stroke patients can learn reach-and retrieval movements with error-enhanced augmented sensory feedback. The movements were performed over a predefined path, and when deviating of the path a force is provided,...
In this study, we propose a leg-robot with a compact MR fluid clutch (CMRFC) to demonstrate haptic control of abnormal spastic movements of brain-injured patients. This system can be used in the practical training for trainees of physical therapy. In this paper, basic structure and characteristics of the leg-robot are explained. Then, we suggest a control method to reproduce clonus-like movements,...
Improving admittance of robotic joints is the key issue for making rehabilitation robots safe. This paper describes a design of redundant drive joint (RD-Joint) which allows greater flexibility in the design of robotic mechanisms. The design strategy of the RD-joint employs a systematic approach which consists of 1) adopting a redundant joint mechanism with internal kinematical redundancy to reduce...
This paper reports on the powered elbow orthosis for orthopaedic rehabilitation project and its main challenges. The mechanical design is briefly discussed. The actuator being used is the novel rotational actuator, MACCEPA or Mechanically Adjustable Compliance and Controllable Equilibrium Position Actuator. The schematic representation and working principle of this actuator are recapitulated in short...
The biomechanical analysis done in this project is to assist the development of the robot assisted stroke rehabilitation system. Thus, the analysis of the upper limbpsilas motions focus on rehabilitation training for stroke survivor. As the human upper limb system is a natural biomechanical system, which can be modeled as links connected together by different joints with its own biological properties,...
Interaction control is an important aspect in rehabilitation robots to ensure system safety and allow effective rehabilitation. Due to the significant variability of human limb and joint characteristics, adaptability in the interaction controller is vital for enabling the adjustment of robot behavior to better suit the patient's requirements. A parallel manipulator has been developed for ankle rehabilitation...
Biarticulate muscles have been shown to perform the function of power transfer from the upper to lower leg, such as in tasks such as running, jumping, and stair climbing. A new robotic model of the human leg is described. This robotic leg transfers power from motors on the hip to the ankle. The importance of timing in maximizing the force transfer to push off at the toe is explored.
This paper investigates several robotic mechanisms for ankle function evaluation, measurement and physiotherapy. For the choice, design and operation of the mechanism the kinematics of the foot is described. This is based on a kinematics model of foot adopted from biomechanics literature, under the hypothesis that foot kinematics is similar to that of a 2R serial robot. A 3D scanner and an inertial...
Human-robot control interfaces have received increased attention during the last decades. With the introduction of robots in every-day life, especially in developing services for people with special needs (i.e. elderly or impaired persons), there is a strong necessity of simple and natural control interfaces. In this paper, electromyographic (EMG) signals from muscles of the human upper limb are used...
This paper presents a recent study about a development of an original, cable-driven and compliant robotic wrist (ARTS wrist). The ARTS wrist presents two degrees of freedom; the mechanism is composed by two platforms connected by a thrust spring (working as a flexible joint) and by three cables placed and clamped corresponding to vertex of an equilateral triangle centred in the longitudinal axis of...
This paper presents a novel 7 (active) +2 (passive) degrees of freedom (DOF) exoskeleton to achieve effective rehabilitation of upper limbs with neurological impairment. The 7+2 DOF robot was designed for allowing anatomically correct motions in the upper extremity, and for measuring 18 axis forces/torques and 9 DOF positions. A novel four-step integrated rehabilitation approach was developed and...
This paper describes a redundant robot arm that is capable of learning to reach for targets in space while avoiding obstacles in a self-organized fashion. Self-generated movement commands that activate correlated visual, spatial and motor information are used to learn forward and inverse kinematic control models while moving in obstacle free space using the direction-to-rotation transform (DIRECT)...
Intensive task-oriented repetitive physical therapies provided by individualized interaction between the patient and a rehabilitation specialist can improve hand motor performance in patients survived from stroke and traumatic brain injury. However, the therapy process is long and expensive and difficult to evaluate quantitatively and objectively. The goal of this research is to develop a novel wearable...
Rehabilitation robots start to become an important tool in stroke rehabilitation. Compared to manual arm training, robot-supported training can be more intensive, of longer duration, repetitive and task-oriented. Therefore, these devices have the potential to improve the rehabilitation process in stroke patients. While in the past, most groups have been working with endeffector-based robots, exoskeleton...
For femoral fracture reduction, we have developed a surgical robotic system. Indirect traction is employed in our system. Indirect traction in fracture reduction is a generally used surgical method for preventing complications such as bone splits caused by high stress on bones. For traction, a patientpsilas foot is gripped by a jig and pulled to the distal side. Indirect traction has the advantage...
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