Task-specific upper-extremity robotic training for stroke neurorehabilitation

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 DESCRIPTION : Abstract The overall goal is to further develop a robotic exoskeleton for neurorehabilitation of arm function after stroke. We previously developed a novel training protocol that combined the ARMin and HandSOME exoskeletons. This is one of only a few arm exoskeletons that allow coordinated whole limb training in reach and grasp tasks with both virtual and real objects. In a pilot clinical trial, we found that the current robotic exoskeleton elicited improvements in arm function that can potentially supplement conventional methods to improve outcomes. However, the robot has a very large inertia and friction, and only gross grasp patterns are available. Therefore, improvements in movement speed and fine grasp were limited after robotic training. In development work, we will significantly modify the ARMin and HandSOME to deliver a state-of-the-art lightweight robotic exoskeleton capable of retraining a wide range of functional activities. We will reduce the inertia and friction of the robot to 1/4 of current values, incorporte an adaptive algorithm to automatically adjust assistance levels and extend the range of grasp patterns to include power grasp, thumb-index finger pinch and key pinch. These modifications would also decrease the costs of potential commercial versions of the robot. In the subsequent testing phase, a clinical trial will compare the effects of robotic therapy to conventional treatment. An arm exoskeleton capable of functional activities can have many other applications, such as a wheelchair mounted device for severe SCI patients, a take-home device or eventually a wearable device.