Basic Study on Development of Rehabilitation Training System Using ER Actuators

Robot and virtual reality technologies may be applied to rehabilitation training so that fewer human therapists are needed, training can be quantitatively evaluated, and training can be more enjoyable to patients. A training system in rehabilitation can use robot or other virtual reality technologies, but it must be far safer than ordinary industrial robot systems. The authors have been studying actuators, which are safe and easy to control, and have developed force display systems using such actuators. As an application of force display technology, they have developed a rehabilitation training system using ER actuators. The authors have also developed a computer program for the system, which evaluates the physical capability of the upper limbs of patients and assists in their rehabilitation training. This paper is a summary of the basic experiments with the system as applied at a hospital to patients suffering from upper limb paralysis.