Post stroke shoulder-elbow physiotherapy with industrial robots

Robotic motor rehabilitation is a promising approach to rehabilitation of post stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury neuromotor impairments. We have observed that manual physiotherapy of spastic hemiparetic patients include 45 different types of three-dimensional repetitive shoulder-elbow motion exercises. The physical capabilities as well as the availability of the physiotherapist limit the realization of effective physiotherapy in daily routine. The paper describes the REHAROB Therapeutic System that uses two industrial robot arms for exercising the patient's upper limb. Special devices and measures make the system safe both for the patient and for the physiotherapist. The current REHAROB system performs individual, three-dimensional, anti-spastic passive motion therapy in the full range of concerted shoulder girdle (5) and elbow (2) motions but due to its versatility it is going to be expanded towards active assisted and active against resistance therapy, and for the physiotherapy of spastic hemiparetic lower limbs. The REHAROB Therapeutic System was designed to integrate commercially available robot, safety, control, and sensor components.