Development of a Hand Exoskeleton for Rehabilitation Following Stroke

描述(申请人提供)：这个项目的目标是设计和开发一种手外骨骼，以促进中风后的康复。近年来，用于神经肌肉疾病治疗性康复的机电设备的数量急剧增加。不幸的是，关于如何在康复范例中最好地使用这些设备的研究并没有跟上步伐。这个问题与手康复特别相关，它可能需要重新学习相当复杂的动作以执行任务；例如，简单的被动手指运动可能不足以促进重新学习。虽然存在许多用于手的设备，但没有一个设备具有足够的力量、便携性和控制力，能够检查不同的训练范例以进行抓取。因此，我们建议开发一种用于食指和拇指的致动外骨骼(AHX)，并利用一种新型的智能控制器来协调不同自由度(DOF)的活动。1.设计了一种能够在位置和力控制模式下对食指和拇指关节提供独立的双向驱动的机器人手外骨骼AHX，为各种手康复策略提供了一个试验台。AHX将有3个食指驱动自由度和5个拇指驱动自由度。直流电机通过电缆传输驱动关节。2.设计一种智能控制器，协调AHX和手在多个关节之间的运动和力的相互作用，从而实现高水平的训练目标。高层监控控制器(HSC)将指导多个低级关节控制器创建不同的交互模式，以训练手指的运动。具体来说，将实施三种模式：按需协助、按需抵制和错误增强。AHX和控制器将在一项涉及健康参与者运动学习的实验中进行评估。参与者将尝试执行食指和拇指对指定目标的协调运动，同时体验由AHX产生的新颖的卷曲力场。我们将评估不同训练模式在促进学习在新的力场中移动方面的有效性。公共卫生相关性：该项目的目标是开发一种机电设备，以促进中风后的手康复。拟议中的设备，即Actuated Hand Exoskbone(AHX)，将能够以同步的方式独立地移动食指和拇指的每个关节。将开发一种新型控制器来协调AHX与手的不同关节的相互作用。该设备的灵活性将允许对中风后手康复的各种训练范例进行有效性测试。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this project is to design and develop a hand exoskeleton to facilitate rehabilitation following stroke. The number of mechatronic devices developed for therapeutic rehabilitation of neuromuscular disorders has grown dramatically in recent years. Unfortunately, research into how best to employ these devices in rehabilitation paradigms has not kept pace. This question is especially pertinent to hand rehabilitation, which may entail relearning of rather complex movements in order to perform tasks; simple passive movement of the digits, for example, may prove insufficient to facilitate relearning. While a number of devices for the hand exist, none possesses sufficient power, portability, and control to be able to examine different training paradigms for grasp. Thus, we propose to develop an actuated exoskeleton (AHX) for the index finger and thumb with a novel intelligent controller to coordinate the activities of the different degrees-of-freedom (DOF). Accordingly, the following aims are proposed: 1. Design a robotic hand exoskeleton, AHX, that can provide independent bi-directional actuation to the joints of the index finger and the thumb in both position and force control modes, thereby providing a test bed for various hand rehabilitation strategies. The AHX will have 3 actuated DOF for the index finger and 5 actuated DOF for the thumb. DC motor will drive the joints through cable transmission. 2. Design an intelligent controller that will coordinate the motion and force interactions between the AHX and hand among the multiple joints in such a manner as to permit the implementation of high level training goals. A high-level supervisory controller (HSC) will direct multiple low-level joint controllers in creating different interaction modes for training movement of the digits. Three modes in particular will be implemented: assist-as-needed, resist-as-needed, and error augmentation. The AHX and controller will be evaluated in an experiment involving motor learning in healthy participants. Participants will attempt to perform coordinated movements of the index finger and thumb to specified targets while experiencing novel curl force fields generated by the AHX. We will asses the effectiveness of the different training modes in facilitating learning to move within the novel force fields. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The goal of this project is to develop a mechatronic device to facilitate hand rehabilitation following stroke. The proposed device, the Actuated Hand Exoskeleton (AHX), will be able to move each of the joints of the index finger and thumb independently and simultaneously in a synchronized manner. A novel controller will be developed to coordinate interactions of the AHX with the different joints of the hand. The flexibility of the device will allow for efficacy testing of various training paradigms for hand rehabilitation following stroke.