Development of a Hand Exoskeleton for Rehabilitation Following Stroke

描述（由申请人提供）：本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，为神经肌肉疾病的治疗康复而开发的机电设备的数量急剧增长。不幸的是，研究如何最好地利用这些设备在康复范例没有跟上步伐。这个问题与手部康复特别相关，手部康复可能需要重新学习相当复杂的运动以执行任务;例如，手指的简单被动运动可能不足以促进重新学习。虽然存在许多用于手的装置，但是没有一个具有足够的功率、便携性和控制以能够检查用于抓握的不同训练范例。因此，我们建议开发一个驱动外骨骼（AHX）的食指和拇指与一种新的智能控制器，以协调活动的不同程度的自由度（DOF）。因此，提出了以下目标：1。设计了一个机器人手外骨骼，AHX，可以提供独立的双向驱动的食指和拇指的关节在位置和力控制模式，从而提供了一个测试平台，为各种手部康复策略。AHX将具有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动驱动接头。2.设计一个智能控制器，它将协调AHX和手之间的多个关节之间的运动和力的相互作用，以允许实现高水平的训练目标。高级监督控制器（HSC）将指导多个低级联合控制器创建用于训练手指运动的不同交互模式。具体来说，将实现三种模式：按需辅助、按需抵抗和错误增强。AHX和控制器将在涉及健康参与者的运动学习的实验中进行评估。参与者将尝试执行协调运动的食指和拇指指定的目标，同时体验新的卷曲力场产生的AHX。我们将评估不同训练模式在促进学习在新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一体化设备，以促进中风后的手部康复。所提出的设备，驱动手外骨骼（AHX），将能够移动食指和拇指的每个关节独立和同步的方式。将开发一种新的控制器来协调AHX与手的不同关节的相互作用。该设备的灵活性将允许中风后手部康复的各种训练范例的有效性测试。

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.