Task-specific upper-extremity robotic training for stroke neurorehabilitation

 描述： 其总体目标是进一步开发一种用于中风后手臂功能神经康复的机器人外骨骼。我们之前开发了一种新的训练方案，将ARMIN和英俊的外骨骼结合在一起。这是为数不多的几个手臂外骨骼之一，允许协调整个肢体的伸展和抓取任务，无论是虚拟的还是真实的物体。在一项试点临床试验中，我们发现目前的机器人外骨骼引起了手臂功能的改善，这可能是对传统方法的补充，以改善结果。然而，机器人具有很大的惯性和摩擦力，只有粗略的抓取模式可用。因此，机器人训练后在移动速度和精细抓取方面的提高是有限的。在开发工作中，我们将对ARMIN和SIGHTY进行重大改装，以提供最先进的轻型机器人外骨骼，能够重新培训各种功能活动。我们将把机器人的惯性和摩擦力降低到当前值的四分之一，采用自适应算法来自动调整辅助级别，并将抓取模式的范围扩大到包括力量抓取、拇指食指握持和按键抓取。这些修改还将降低该机器人潜在商业版本的成本。在随后的测试阶段，一项临床试验将比较机器人治疗和传统治疗的效果。能够进行功能性活动的手臂外骨骼可以有许多其他应用，例如严重脊髓损伤患者的轮椅安装设备，带回家的设备，或者最终可穿戴的设备。

 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.