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Kottink AIR, Nikamp CDM, Bos FP, Sluis CKVD, Broek MVD, Onneweer B, Stolwijk-Swüste JM, Brink SM, Voet NBM, Rietman JS, Prange-Lasonder GB. Therapy effect on hand function after home use of a wearable assistive soft-robotic glove supporting grip strength. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306713. [PMID: 38990858 PMCID: PMC11239026 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Soft-robotic gloves with an assist-as-needed control have the ability to assist daily activities where needed, while stimulating active and highly functional movements within the user's possibilities. Employment of hand activities with glove support might act as training for unsupported hand function. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the therapeutic effect of a grip-supporting soft-robotic glove as an assistive device at home during daily activities. METHODS This multicentre intervention trial consisted of 3 pre-assessments (averaged if steady state = PRE), one post-assessment (POST), and one follow-up assessment (FU). Participants with chronic hand function limitations were included. Participants used the Carbonhand glove during six weeks in their home environment on their most affected hand. They were free to choose which activities to use the glove with and for how long. The primary outcome measure was grip strength, secondary outcome measures were pinch strength, hand function and glove use time. RESULTS 63 patients with limitations in hand function resulting from various disorders were included. Significant improvements (difference PRE-POST) were found for grip strength (+1.9 kg, CI 0.8 to 3.1; p = 0.002) and hand function, as measured by Jebson-Taylor Hand Function Test (-7.7 s, CI -13.4 to -1.9; p = 0.002) and Action Research Arm Test (+1.0 point, IQR 2.0; p≤0.001). Improvements persisted at FU. Pinch strength improved slightly in all fingers over six-week glove use, however these differences didn't achieve significance. Participants used the soft-robotic glove for a total average of 33.0 hours (SD 35.3), equivalent to 330 min/week (SD 354) or 47 min/day (SD 51). No serious adverse events occurred. CONCLUSION The present findings showed that six weeks use of a grip-supporting soft-robotic glove as an assistive device at home resulted in a therapeutic effect on unsupported grip strength and hand function. The glove use time also showed that this wearable, lightweight glove was able to assist participants with the performance of daily tasks for prolonged periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke I R Kottink
- Roessingh Research and Development, Enschede, The Netherlands
- Department of Biomechanical Engineering, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Corien D M Nikamp
- Roessingh Research and Development, Enschede, The Netherlands
- Department of Biomedical Signals and Systems, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Foskea P Bos
- Reade, Center for Rehabilitation and Rheumatology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Corry K van der Sluis
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Bram Onneweer
- Rijndam Rehabilitation, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Janneke M Stolwijk-Swüste
- De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Centre of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine, Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sander M Brink
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Isala, Zwolle, The Netherlands
| | - Nicoline B M Voet
- Rehabilitation Centre Klimmendaal, Arnhem, The Netherlands
- Department of Rehabilitation, Donders Institute for Brain, Radboud University Medical Centre, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Johan S Rietman
- Roessingh Research and Development, Enschede, The Netherlands
- Department of Biomechanical Engineering, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
- Roessingh Centre for Rehabilitation, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Gerdienke B Prange-Lasonder
- Roessingh Research and Development, Enschede, The Netherlands
- Department of Biomechanical Engineering, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
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Winterbottom L, Chen A, Mendonca R, Nilsen DM, Ciocarlie M, Stein J. Clinician perceptions of a novel wearable robotic hand orthosis for post-stroke hemiparesis. Disabil Rehabil 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38975689 DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2024.2375056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Wearable robotic devices are currently being developed to improve upper limb function for individuals with hemiparesis after stroke. Incorporating the views of clinicians during the development of new technologies can help ensure that end products meet clinical needs and can be adopted for patient care. METHODS In this cross-sectional mixed-methods study, an anonymous online survey was used to gather clinicians' perceptions of a wearable robotic hand orthosis for post-stroke hemiparesis. Participants were asked about their clinical experience and provided feedback on the prototype device after viewing a video. RESULTS 154 participants completed the survey. Only 18.8% had previous experience with robotic technology. The majority of participants (64.9%) reported that they would use the device for both rehabilitative and assistive purposes. Participants perceived that the device could be used in supervised clinical settings with all phases of stroke. Participants also indicated a need for insurance coverage and quick setup time. CONCLUSIONS Engaging clinicians early in the design process can help guide the development of wearable robotic devices. Both rehabilitative and assistive functions are valued by clinicians and should be considered during device development. Future research is needed to understand a broader set of stakeholders' perspectives on utility and design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Winterbottom
- Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ava Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rochelle Mendonca
- Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dawn M Nilsen
- Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matei Ciocarlie
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joel Stein
- Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
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3
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Zhang Z, Calderon AD, Huang X, Wu G, Liang C. Design and Driving Performance Study of Soft Actuators for Hand Rehabilitation Training. MEDICAL DEVICES-EVIDENCE AND RESEARCH 2024; 17:237-260. [PMID: 38953048 PMCID: PMC11216218 DOI: 10.2147/mder.s476464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose To address the application requirements of soft actuators in rehabilitation training gloves, and in combination with ergonomic requirements, we designed a segmented soft actuator with bending and elongation modules. This actuator can achieve independent or coupled movements of the finger joints. Methods A finite element model of the joint actuator was established to compare the driving performance of actuators with different structural forms. Numerical calculations were used to analyze the effects of structural size parameters on the bending characteristics and end output force of the actuator. The design was then refined based on these analyses. Results The joint actuator designed in this study demonstrated a 71% increase in bending angle compared to the standard fast pneumatic network structure. Key factors affecting the driving performance include the thickness of the constraint layer, the inner wall thickness of the chamber, chamber height, chamber width, chamber spacing, chamber length, and the number of chambers. After improvements, the bending angle of the joint actuator increased by 60.6%, and the output force increased by 145.9%, indicating significant improvement. Conclusion This study designed and improved a soft actuator for hand rehabilitation training, achieving independent and coupled joint movements. The bending angle, bending shape, and joint driving force of the soft actuator meet the requirements for finger rehabilitation training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhilin Zhang
- School of Physics and Telecommunications Engineering, Yulin Normal University, Yulin, People’s Republic of China
- School of Mechanical, Manufacturing and Energy Engineering, Mapua University, Manila, Philippines
- Center for Applied Mathematics of Guangxi, Yulin Normal University, Yulin, People’s Republic of China
- Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Complex System Optimization and Big Data Processing, Yulin Normal University, Yulin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Aldrin D Calderon
- School of Mechanical, Manufacturing and Energy Engineering, Mapua University, Manila, Philippines
| | - Xingyu Huang
- School of Information Technology, Mapua University, Manila, Philippines
| | - Guixian Wu
- Yulin Health School of Guangxi Medical University, Yulin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chuanjian Liang
- School of Physics and Telecommunications Engineering, Yulin Normal University, Yulin, People’s Republic of China
- Center for Applied Mathematics of Guangxi, Yulin Normal University, Yulin, People’s Republic of China
- Guangxi Universities Key Laboratory of Complex System Optimization and Big Data Processing, Yulin Normal University, Yulin, People’s Republic of China
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Lee Y, Park HS. Design Optimization of a Soft Robotic Rehabilitation Glove Based on Finger Workspace Analysis. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:172. [PMID: 38534857 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9030172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The finger workspace is crucial for performing various grasping tasks. Thus, various soft rehabilitation gloves have been developed to assist individuals with paralyzed hands in activities of daily living (ADLs) or rehabilitation training. However, most soft robotic glove designs are insufficient to assist with various hand postures because most of them use an underactuated mechanism for design simplicity. Therefore, this paper presents a methodology for optimizing the design of a high-degree-of-freedom soft robotic glove while not increasing the design complexity. We defined the required functional workspace of the index finger based on ten frequently used grasping postures in ADLs. The design optimization was achieved by simulating the proposed finger-robot model to obtain a comparable workspace to the functional workspace. In particular, the moment arm length for extension was optimized to facilitate the grasping of large objects (precision disk and power sphere), whereas a torque-amplifying routing design was implemented to aid the grasping of small objects (lateral pinch and thumb-two-finger pinch). The effectiveness of the optimized design was validated through testing with a stroke survivor and comparing the assistive workspace. The observed workspace demonstrated that the optimized glove design could assist with nine out of the ten targeted grasping posture functional workspaces. Furthermore, the assessment of the grasping speed and force highlighted the glove's usability for various rehabilitation activities. We also present and discuss a generalized methodology to optimize the design parameters of a soft robotic glove that uses an underactuated mechanism to assist the targeted workspace. Overall, the proposed design optimization methodology serves as a tool for developing advanced hand rehabilitation robots, as it offers insight regarding the importance of routing optimization in terms of the workspace.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yechan Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung-Soon Park
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
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5
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Park CB, Hwang JS, Gong HS, Park HS. A Lightweight Dynamic Hand Orthosis With Sequential Joint Flexion Movement for Postoperative Rehabilitation of Flexor Tendon Repair Surgery. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2024; 32:994-1004. [PMID: 38376979 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2024.3367990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
During the postoperative hand rehabilitation period, it is recommended that the repaired flexor tendons be continuously glided with sufficient tendon excursion and carefully managed protection to prevent adhesion with adjacent tissues. Thus, finger joints should be passively mobilized through a wide range of motion (ROM) with physiotherapy. During passive mobilization, sequential flexion of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint followed by the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint is recommended for maximizing tendon excursion. This paper presents a lightweight device for postoperative flexor tendon rehabilitation that uses a single motor to achieve sequential joint flexion movement. The device consists of an orthosis, a cable, and a single motor. The degree of spatial stiffness and cable path of the orthosis were designed to apply a flexion moment to the MCP joint prior to the PIP joint. The device was tested on both healthy individuals and a patient who had undergone flexor tendon repair surgery, and both flexion and extension movement could be achieved with a wide ROM and sequential joint flexion movement using a single motor.
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Jayavel P, Karthik V, Mathunny JJ, Jothi S, Devaraj A. Hand assistive device with suction cup (HADS) technology for poststroke patients. Proc Inst Mech Eng H 2024; 238:160-169. [PMID: 38189258 DOI: 10.1177/09544119231221190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
A stroke is a neurological disease that primarily causes paralysis. Besides paraplegia, all other types of paralysis affect the upper extremity. Advanced technologies, such as wearable devices and rehabilitation regimens, are also being developed to enhance the functional ability of a stroke person to grasp and release daily living objects. In this research, we developed a rehabilitation functional assist device combining a flexion and extension mechanism with suction cup technology (hybrid technology) to help post-stroke patients improve their hand grip strength in day-to-day grasping activities. Ten poststroke hemiplegia patients were studied to test the functional ability of the impaired hand by wearing and not wearing the device. The outcomes were validated by three standard clinical tests, such as the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - Hand Functional Test (TRI-HFT), the Chedoke Arm Hand Activity Inventory (CAHAI-9), and the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) with overall score improvements of 14.5 ± 3.8-25 ± 2.2 (p = 0.005), 5.4 ± 2.8-10 ± 1.6 (p = 0.008), and 9.6 ± 2.6-17 ± 2.4 (p = 0.005) respectively. The p-value for each of the three evaluations was less than 0.05, indicating significantly improved results and the average feedback score of the participants was 3.8 out of 5. The proposed device significantly increased impaired hand functionality in post-stroke patients. The subjects could complete some of the grasping tasks that they could not grasp without the device.Clinical trial registrationThe Clinical Trial Registry of India approved the work CTRI/2022/02/040495 described in this manuscript.
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Affiliation(s)
- Porkodi Jayavel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Varshini Karthik
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Jaison Jacob Mathunny
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Suresh Jothi
- SRM College of Physiotherapy, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Ashokkumar Devaraj
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamilnadu, India
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Dittli J, Meyer JT, Gantenbein J, Bützer T, Ranzani R, Linke A, Curt A, Gassert R, Lambercy O. Mixed methods usability evaluation of an assistive wearable robotic hand orthosis for people with spinal cord injury. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2023; 20:162. [PMID: 38041135 PMCID: PMC10693050 DOI: 10.1186/s12984-023-01284-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Robotic hand orthoses (RHO) aim to provide grasp assistance for people with sensorimotor hand impairment during daily tasks. Many of such devices have been shown to bring a functional benefit to the user. However, assessing functional benefit is not sufficient to evaluate the usability of such technologies for daily life application. A comprehensive and structured evaluation of device usability not only focusing on effectiveness but also efficiency and satisfaction is required, yet often falls short in existing literature. Mixed methods evaluations, i.e., assessing a combination of quantitative and qualitative measures, allow to obtain a more holistic picture of all relevant aspects of device usability. Considering these aspects already in early development stages allows to identify design issues and generate generalizable benchmarks for future developments. METHODS We evaluated the short-term usability of the RELab tenoexo, a RHO for hand function assistance, in 15 users with tetraplegia after a spinal cord injury through a comprehensive mixed methods approach. We collected quantitative data using the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), the System Usability Scale (SUS), and timed tasks such as the donning process. In addition, qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews and user observations, and analyzed with a thematic analysis to enhance the usability evaluation. All insights were attributed and discussed in relation to specifically defined usability attributes such as comfort, ease of use, functional benefit, and safety. RESULTS The RELab tenoexo provided an immediate functional benefit to the users, resulting in a mean improvement of the ARAT score by 5.8 points and peaking at 15 points improvement for one user (clinically important difference: 5.7 points). The mean SUS rating of 60.6 represents an adequate usability, however, indicating that especially the RHO donning (average task time = 295 s) was perceived as too long and cumbersome. The participants were generally very satisfied with the ergonomics (size, dimensions, fit) of the RHO. Enhancing the ease of use, specifically in donning, increasing the provided grasping force, as well as the availability of tailoring options and customization were identified as main improvement areas to promote RHO usability. CONCLUSION The short-term usability of the RELab tenoexo was thoroughly evaluated with a mixed methods approach, which generated valuable data to improve the RHO in future iterations. In addition, learnings that might be transferable to the evaluation and design of other RHO were generated, which have the potential to increase the daily life applicability and acceptance of similar technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Dittli
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Lengghalde 5, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Jan T Meyer
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Lengghalde 5, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jessica Gantenbein
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Lengghalde 5, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Bützer
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Lengghalde 5, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Raffaele Ranzani
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Lengghalde 5, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anita Linke
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Forchstrasse 340, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Armin Curt
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Forchstrasse 340, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roger Gassert
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Lengghalde 5, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
- Singapore-ETH Centre, Future Health Technologies Programme, CREATE campus, 1 Create Way, #06-01 CREATE Tower, 138602, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Olivier Lambercy
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Lengghalde 5, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
- Singapore-ETH Centre, Future Health Technologies Programme, CREATE campus, 1 Create Way, #06-01 CREATE Tower, 138602, Singapore, Singapore
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Velmurugan V, Wood LJ, Amirabdollahian F. Preliminary Results from a Six-Week Home-Based Evaluation of a Rehabilitation Device for Hand and Wrist Therapy After Stroke. IEEE Int Conf Rehabil Robot 2023; 2023:1-6. [PMID: 37941282 DOI: 10.1109/icorr58425.2023.10304775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
While many robot-aided solutions have been proposed for the rehabilitation of the distal segment of the upper limb, very few take into account the synergy between the wrist and fingers to allow them to train simultaneously in a home environment. WiGlove is a passive robotic orthosis designed to address this need. This wearable, wireless device enables stroke survivors to perform flexion/extension exercises of both the wrist and fingers while performing ADL or playing therapeutic computer games. As a part of its user-centred design process, this paper presents a case study of a 6-week feasibility evaluation of the WiGlove conducted at a stroke survivor's home without assistance from the therapists. The participant trained with the device for an average of 48 minutes a day and showed a noticeable reduction in the spasticity of the fingers and improved performance in the box and block test. He expressed satisfaction with its usability and suitability for the home environment. These results show overwhelmingly positive outcomes in terms of its acceptance, usability and effectiveness in offering home-based rehabilitation of the wrist and fingers.
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Dittli J, Goikoetxea-Sotelo G, Lieber J, Gassert R, Meyer-Heim A, Van Hedel HJA, Lambercy O. A Tailorable Robotic Hand Orthosis to Support Children with Neurological Hand Impairments: a Case Study in a Child's Home. IEEE Int Conf Rehabil Robot 2023; 2023:1-6. [PMID: 37941220 DOI: 10.1109/icorr58425.2023.10304752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Neurological disorders such as traumatic brain injuries (TBI) can lead to hand impairments in children, negatively impacting their quality of life. Fully wearable robotic hand orthoses (RHO) have been proposed to actively support children and promote the use of the impaired limb in daily life. Here we report a case study on the feasibility of using the pediatric RHO PEXO for assistance at home in a 13- year-old child with hand impairment after TBI. The size and functionalities of the RHO were first fully tailored to the child's needs. We trained the child and their parent on independently using the RHO before taking it home for a period of two weeks. The use of the RHO improved hand ability. Additionally, the tailoring and training benefited the unimanual capacity (Box and Block Test score +2 after tailoring) and bimanual performance (Assisting Hand Assessment score +4) of the child with PEXO. Further, it increased device acceptance by the child and the parent. The child used PEXO at home for 76 minutes distributed over three days during eating and drinking tasks. Personal and environmental factors caused the moderate use. No adverse events or safety-related issues occurred. This study highlights the value of tailoring an assistive RHO and, for the first time, demonstrates the feasibility of home use of a pediatric RHO by children with neurological hand impairments.
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Lai J, Song A, Wang J, Lu Y, Wu T, Li H, Xu B, Wei X. A Novel Soft Glove Utilizing Honeycomb Pneumatic Actuators (HPAs) for Assisting Activities of Daily Living. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2023; 31:3223-3233. [PMID: 37549074 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2023.3302612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Fabric-based pneumatic actuators (FPAs) are extensively employed in the design of lightweight and compliant soft wearable assistive gloves. However, conventional FPAs typically exhibit limited output force, thereby restricting the applications of such gloves. This paper presents the development of a novel honeycomb pneumatic actuator (HPA) constructed using flexible thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) coating through hot pressing or ultrasonic welding techniques. Compared to the previously utilized double-layer fabric-based pneumatic actuators (DLFPAs), the HPAs yields a remarkable 862% increase in end output force. It can produce a tip force of 13.57 N at a pressure of 150 kPa. The integration of HPAs onto a soft pneumatic glove enables the facilitation of various activities of daily living. A series of trials involving nine patients were conducted to assess the effectiveness of the soft glove. The experimental results indicate that when assisted by the glove, the patients' finger metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints achieved angles of 87.67 ± 19.27° and 64.2 ± 30.66°, respectively. Additionally, the average fingertip force reached 10.16 ± 4.24 N, the average grip force reached 26.04 ± 15.08 N, and the completion rate of daily functions for the patients increased from 39% to 76%. These outcomes demonstrate that the soft glove effectively aids in finger movements and significantly enhances the patients' daily functioning.
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Gantenbein J, Ahmadizadeh C, Heeb O, Lambercy O, Menon C. Feasibility of force myography for the direct control of an assistive robotic hand orthosis in non-impaired individuals. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2023; 20:101. [PMID: 37537602 PMCID: PMC10399035 DOI: 10.1186/s12984-023-01222-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Assistive robotic hand orthoses can support people with sensorimotor hand impairment in many activities of daily living and therefore help to regain independence. However, in order for the users to fully benefit from the functionalities of such devices, a safe and reliable way to detect their movement intention for device control is crucial. Gesture recognition based on force myography measuring volumetric changes in the muscles during contraction has been previously shown to be a viable and easy to implement strategy to control hand prostheses. Whether this approach could be efficiently applied to intuitively control an assistive robotic hand orthosis remains to be investigated. METHODS In this work, we assessed the feasibility of using force myography measured from the forearm to control a robotic hand orthosis worn on the hand ipsilateral to the measurement site. In ten neurologically-intact participants wearing a robotic hand orthosis, we collected data for four gestures trained in nine arm configurations, i.e., seven static positions and two dynamic movements, corresponding to typical activities of daily living conditions. In an offline analysis, we determined classification accuracies for two binary classifiers (one for opening and one for closing) and further assessed the impact of individual training arm configurations on the overall performance. RESULTS We achieved an overall classification accuracy of 92.9% (averaged over two binary classifiers, individual accuracies 95.5% and 90.3%, respectively) but found a large variation in performance between participants, ranging from 75.4 up to 100%. Averaged inference times per sample were measured below 0.15 ms. Further, we found that the number of training arm configurations could be reduced from nine to six without notably decreasing classification performance. CONCLUSION The results of this work support the general feasibility of using force myography as an intuitive intention detection strategy for a robotic hand orthosis. Further, the findings also generated valuable insights into challenges and potential ways to overcome them in view of applying such technologies for assisting people with sensorimotor hand impairment during activities of daily living.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Gantenbein
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Lengghalde 5, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chakaveh Ahmadizadeh
- Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Lengghalde 5, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Heeb
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Lengghalde 5, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
- Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Lengghalde 5, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Lambercy
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Lengghalde 5, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence And Technological Enterprise (CREATE), 1 Create Way, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Carlo Menon
- Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Lengghalde 5, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Richter M, Sikorski J, Makushko P, Zabila Y, Venkiteswaran VK, Makarov D, Misra S. Locally Addressable Energy Efficient Actuation of Magnetic Soft Actuator Array Systems. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2302077. [PMID: 37330643 PMCID: PMC10460866 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202302077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Advances in magnetoresponsive composites and (electro-)magnetic actuators have led to development of magnetic soft machines (MSMs) as building blocks for small-scale robotic devices. Near-field MSMs offer energy efficiency and compactness by bringing the field source and effectors in close proximity. Current challenges of near-field MSM are limited programmability of effector motion, dimensionality, ability to perform collaborative tasks, and structural flexibility. Herein, a new class of near-field MSMs is demonstrated that combines microscale thickness flexible planar coils with magnetoresponsive polymer effectors. Ultrathin manufacturing and magnetic programming of effectors is used to tailor their response to the nonhomogeneous near-field distribution on the coil surface. The MSMs are demonstrated to lift, tilt, pull, or grasp in close proximity to each other. These ultrathin (80 µm) and lightweight (100 gm-2 ) MSMs can operate at high frequency (25 Hz) and low energy consumption (0.5 W), required for the use of MSMs in portable electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiel Richter
- Surgical Robotics LaboratoryDepartment of Biomechanical EngineeringUniversity of TwenteDrienerlolaan 5Enschede7500 AEThe Netherlands
| | - Jakub Sikorski
- Surgical Robotics LaboratoryDepartment of Biomechanical EngineeringUniversity of TwenteDrienerlolaan 5Enschede7500 AEThe Netherlands
- Surgical Robotics LaboratoryDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Groningen and UniversityMedical Centre Groningen, Hanzeplein 1Groningen9713 GZThe Netherlands
| | - Pavlo Makushko
- Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Helmholtz‐Zentrum Dresden‐Rossendorf e.V.Bautzner, Landstraße 40001328DresdenGermany
| | - Yevhen Zabila
- Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Helmholtz‐Zentrum Dresden‐Rossendorf e.V.Bautzner, Landstraße 40001328DresdenGermany
- The H. Niewodniczanski Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of SciencesKrakow31‐342Poland
| | | | - Denys Makarov
- Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Helmholtz‐Zentrum Dresden‐Rossendorf e.V.Bautzner, Landstraße 40001328DresdenGermany
| | - Sarthak Misra
- Surgical Robotics LaboratoryDepartment of Biomechanical EngineeringUniversity of TwenteDrienerlolaan 5Enschede7500 AEThe Netherlands
- Surgical Robotics LaboratoryDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Groningen and UniversityMedical Centre Groningen, Hanzeplein 1Groningen9713 GZThe Netherlands
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Tran P, Elliott D, Herrin K, Desai JP. Towards comprehensive evaluation of the FLEXotendon glove-III: a case series evaluation in pediatric clinical cases and able-bodied adults. Biomed Eng Lett 2023; 13:485-494. [PMID: 37519872 PMCID: PMC10382394 DOI: 10.1007/s13534-023-00280-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Injuries involving the nervous system, such as a brachial plexus palsy or traumatic brain injury, can lead to impairment in the functionality of the hand. Assistive robotics have been proposed as a possible method to improve patient outcomes in rehabilitation. The work presented here evaluates the FLEXotendon Glove-III, a 5 degree-of-freedom, voice-controlled, tendon-driven soft robotic hand exoskeleton, with two human subjects with hand impairments and four able-bodied subjects. The FLEXotendon Glove-III was evaluated on four unimpaired subjects, in conjunction with EMG sensor data, to determine the quantitative performance of the glove in applied pinch force, perturbation resistance, and exertion reduction. The exoskeleton system was also evaluated on two subjects with hand impairments, using two standardized hand function tests, the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test and the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Hand Function Test. The subjects were also presented with three qualitative questionnaires, the Capabilities of Upper Extremities Questionnaire, the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology, and the Orthotics Prosthetics User Survey-Satisfaction module. From the previous design, minor design changes were made to the exoskeleton. The quick connect system was redesigned for improved performance, the number of motors was reduced to decrease overall footprint, and the entire system was placed into a compact acrylic case that can be placed into a backpack for increased portability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip Tran
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Drew Elliott
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Kinsey Herrin
- Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
- Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jaydev P. Desai
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
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14
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Morone G, Pirrera A, Iannone A, Giansanti D. Development and Use of Assistive Technologies in Spinal Cord Injury: A Narrative Review of Reviews on the Evolution, Opportunities, and Bottlenecks of Their Integration in the Health Domain. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11111646. [PMID: 37297786 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11111646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Assistive technologies are increasingly taking a leading role in supporting people with spinal cord injury (SCI). This narrative review of reviews intends to contribute by making a map point investigating the integration of ATs in SCI. The methodology of the review was based on: (I) a search of PubMed and Scopus and (II) an eligibility assessment using specific parameters. The outcome highlighted the following: -The evolution of ATs considered in the context of SCI, considering ATs as both products and/or services in standalone and/or networked devices, and as processes of delivery. -Innovative technologies could play an important role in improving the quality of life and in minimizing costs in healthcare. -The international scientific community has identified ATs as one of the six strategic development areas in SCI. The overview also allowed the detection of some problems: (I) The ethical and regulatory aspects have been addressed in a weak way and only in specific and limited cases. (II) There is a lack of studies on the use and applications of ATs in SCI with a focus in multiple domains (e.g., costs, acceptance, dissemination, problems, regulatory aspects, ethical aspects, and other issues important for integration into the health domain). This review highlights the need for further studies and activities focused on integrating consensus in multiple domains, including ethics and regulations, to aid researchers and decision-makers in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Morone
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
- San Raffaele Institute of Sulmona, 67039 Sulmona, Italy
| | | | - Antonio Iannone
- Association "Relazionarti", 05100 Terni, Italy
- CREA Italian National Research Body, 00184 Roma, Italy
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15
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Guo K, Orban M, Lu J, Al-Quraishi MS, Yang H, Elsamanty M. Empowering Hand Rehabilitation with AI-Powered Gesture Recognition: A Study of an sEMG-Based System. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:bioengineering10050557. [PMID: 37237627 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10050557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Stroke is one of the most prevalent health issues that people face today, causing long-term complications such as paresis, hemiparesis, and aphasia. These conditions significantly impact a patient's physical abilities and cause financial and social hardships. In order to address these challenges, this paper presents a groundbreaking solution-a wearable rehabilitation glove. This motorized glove is designed to provide comfortable and effective rehabilitation for patients with paresis. Its unique soft materials and compact size make it easy to use in clinical settings and at home. The glove can train each finger individually and all fingers together, using assistive force generated by advanced linear integrated actuators controlled by sEMG signals. The glove is also durable and long-lasting, with 4-5 h of battery life. The wearable motorized glove is worn on the affected hand to provide assistive force during rehabilitation training. The key to this glove's effectiveness is its ability to perform the classified hand gestures acquired from the non-affected hand by integrating four sEMG sensors and a deep learning algorithm (the 1D-CNN algorithm and the InceptionTime algorithm). The InceptionTime algorithm classified ten hand gestures' sEMG signals with an accuracy of 91.60% and 90.09% in the training and verification sets, respectively. The overall accuracy was 90.89%. It showed potential as a tool for developing effective hand gesture recognition systems. The classified hand gestures can be used as a control command for the motorized wearable glove placed on the affected hand, allowing it to mimic the movements of the non-affected hand. This innovative technology performs rehabilitation exercises based on the theory of mirror therapy and task-oriented therapy. Overall, this wearable rehabilitation glove represents a significant step forward in stroke rehabilitation, offering a practical and effective solution to help patients recover from stroke's physical, financial, and social impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Guo
- School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China
| | - Mostafa Orban
- School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China
- Mechanical Department, Faculty of Engineering at Shoubra, Benha University, Cairo 11672, Egypt
| | - Jingxin Lu
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun 130001, China
| | | | - Hongbo Yang
- School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215163, China
- School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun 130001, China
| | - Mahmoud Elsamanty
- Mechanical Department, Faculty of Engineering at Shoubra, Benha University, Cairo 11672, Egypt
- Mechatronics and Robotics Department, School of Innovative Design Engineering, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, Alexandria 21934, Egypt
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16
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Tran P, Elliott D, Herrin K, Bhatia S, Desai JP. Evaluation of the FLEXotendon glove-III through a human subject case study. Biomed Eng Lett 2023; 13:153-163. [PMID: 37124112 PMCID: PMC10130284 DOI: 10.1007/s13534-023-00262-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) can significantly impair an individual's hand functionality due to the disruption of nerve signals from the brain to the upper extremity. Robotic assistive hand exoskeletons have been proposed as a potential technology to facilitate improved patient rehabilitation outcomes, but few exoskeleton studies utilize standardized hand function tests and questionnaires to produce quantitative data regarding exoskeleton performance. This work presents the human subject case study evaluation of the FLEXotendon Glove-III, a 5 degree-of-freedom voice-controlled, tendon-driven soft robotic assistive hand exoskeleton for individuals with SCI. The exoskeleton system was evaluated in a case study with two individuals with SCI through two standardized hand function tests namely, the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test and the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Hand Function Test and three questionnaires (Capabilities of Upper Extremities Questionnaire, Orthotics Prosthetics Users Survey, Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology). Minor design changes were made to the exoskeleton: integrated fingertip force sensors to sense excessive grasp force, a quick connect system to expedite the exoskeleton glove swapping process between users, compact tendon tension sensors to measure tendon force for admittance control, and a redesigned smartphone app to encompass all aspects of exoskeleton use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip Tran
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Atlanta, USA
| | - Drew Elliott
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Atlanta, USA
| | - Kinsey Herrin
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Atlanta, USA
- Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA
| | - Shovan Bhatia
- Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine University of Miami, Miami, USA
| | - Jaydev P. Desai
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Atlanta, USA
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17
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Intention to use robotic exoskeletons by older people: A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis approach. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2022.107610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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18
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Ang BWK, Yeow CH, Lim JH. A Critical Review on Factors Affecting the User Adoption of Wearable and Soft Robotics. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:3263. [PMID: 36991974 PMCID: PMC10051244 DOI: 10.3390/s23063263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the advent of soft robotics has changed the landscape of wearable technologies. Soft robots are highly compliant and malleable, thus ensuring safe human-machine interactions. To date, a wide variety of actuation mechanisms have been studied and adopted into a multitude of soft wearables for use in clinical practice, such as assistive devices and rehabilitation modalities. Much research effort has been put into improving their technical performance and establishing the ideal indications for which rigid exoskeletons would play a limited role. However, despite having achieved many feats over the past decade, soft wearable technologies have not been extensively investigated from the perspective of user adoption. Most scholarly reviews of soft wearables have focused on the perspective of service providers such as developers, manufacturers, or clinicians, but few have scrutinized the factors affecting adoption and user experience. Hence, this would pose a good opportunity to gain insight into the current practice of soft robotics from a user's perspective. This review aims to provide a broad overview of the different types of soft wearables and identify the factors that hinder the adoption of soft robotics. In this paper, a systematic literature search using terms such as "soft", "robot", "wearable", and "exoskeleton" was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines to include peer-reviewed publications between 2012 and 2022. The soft robotics were classified according to their actuation mechanisms into motor-driven tendon cables, pneumatics, hydraulics, shape memory alloys, and polyvinyl chloride muscles, and their pros and cons were discussed. The identified factors affecting user adoption include design, availability of materials, durability, modeling and control, artificial intelligence augmentation, standardized evaluation criteria, public perception related to perceived utility, ease of use, and aesthetics. The critical areas for improvement and future research directions to increase adoption of soft wearables have also been highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Wee Keong Ang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore; (B.W.K.A.); (C.-H.Y.)
| | - Chen-Hua Yeow
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore; (B.W.K.A.); (C.-H.Y.)
| | - Jeong Hoon Lim
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119074, Singapore
- Division of Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medicine Cluster, National University Hospital, Singapore 119077, Singapore
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Xie Q, Meng Q, Yu W, Wu Z, Xu R, Zeng Q, Zhou Z, Yang T, Yu H. Design of a SMA-based soft composite structure for wearable rehabilitation gloves. Front Neurorobot 2023; 17:1047493. [PMID: 36845070 PMCID: PMC9950102 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2023.1047493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The combination of smart soft composite structure based shape memory alloy (SMA) and exoskeleton technology has the advantages of light weight, energy saving, and great human-exoskeleton interaction. However, there are no relevant studies on the application of SMA-based soft composite structure (SSCS) in hand exoskeletons. The main difficulty is that directional mechanical properties of SSCS need to comply with fingers movement, and SSCS can deliver enough output torque and displacement to the relevant joints. This paper aims to study the application of SSCS for wearable rehabilitation gloves and explore its bionic driving mechanism. This paper proposes a soft wearable glove (Glove-SSCS) for hand rehabilitation actuated by the SSCS, based on finger force analysis under different drive modes. The Glove-SSCS can support five-finger flexion and extension, weighs only 120 g, and adopts modular design. Each drive module adopts a soft composite structure. And the structure integrates actuation, sensing and execution, including an active layer (SMA spring), a passive layer (manganese steel sheet), a sensing layer (bending sensor) and connection layers. To obtain a high-performance SMA actuators, the performance of SMA materials was tested in terms of temperature and voltage, temperature at the shortest length, pre-tensile length and load. And the human-exoskeleton coupling model of Glove-SSCS is established and analyzed from force and motion. The results show that the Glove-SSCS can realize bidirectional movements of fingers flexion and extension, with ranges of motion are 90-110° and 30-40°, and their cycles are 13-19 s and 11-13 s. During the use of Glove-SSCS, the temperature of gloves is from 25 to 67°C, and the surface temperature of hands is from 32 to 36°C. The temperature of Glove-SSCS can be kept at the lowest temperature of SMA operation without much impact on the human body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaolian Xie
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Assistive Devices, Shanghai, China
- Department of Medical Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Qiaoling Meng
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Assistive Devices, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenwei Yu
- Department of Medical Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- Center for Frontier Medical Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Zhiyu Wu
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Assistive Devices, Shanghai, China
| | - Rongna Xu
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Assistive Devices, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingxin Zeng
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Assistive Devices, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhongchao Zhou
- Department of Medical Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Tianyi Yang
- Department of Medical Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hongliu Yu
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Assistive Devices, Shanghai, China
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Rusu DM, Mândru SD, Biriș CM, Petrașcu OL, Morariu F, Ianosi-Andreeva-Dimitrova A. Soft Robotics: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:mi14020359. [PMID: 36838059 PMCID: PMC9961507 DOI: 10.3390/mi14020359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, soft robotics has developed considerably, especially since the year 2018 when it became a hot field among current research topics. The attention that this field receives from researchers and the public is marked by the substantial increase in both the quantity and the quality of scientific publications. In this review, in order to create a relevant and comprehensive picture of this field both quantitatively and qualitatively, the paper approaches two directions. The first direction is centered on a bibliometric analysis focused on the period 2008-2022 with the exact expression that best characterizes this field, which is "Soft Robotics", and the data were taken from a series of multidisciplinary databases and a specialized journal. The second direction focuses on the analysis of bibliographic references that were rigorously selected following a clear methodology based on a series of inclusion and exclusion criteria. After the selection of bibliographic sources, 111 papers were part of the final analysis, which have been analyzed in detail considering three different perspectives: one related to the design principle (biologically inspired soft robotics), one related to functionality (closed/open-loop control), and one from a biomedical applications perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Mihai Rusu
- Mechatronics and Machine Dynamics Department, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Correspondence:
| | - Silviu-Dan Mândru
- Mechatronics and Machine Dynamics Department, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Cristina-Maria Biriș
- Department of Industrial Machines and Equipment, Engineering Faculty, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Victoriei 10, 550024 Sibiu, Romania
| | - Olivia-Laura Petrașcu
- Department of Industrial Machines and Equipment, Engineering Faculty, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Victoriei 10, 550024 Sibiu, Romania
| | - Fineas Morariu
- Department of Industrial Machines and Equipment, Engineering Faculty, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Victoriei 10, 550024 Sibiu, Romania
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A Novel Robotic Exoskeleton for Finger Rehabilitation: Kinematics Analysis. Appl Bionics Biomech 2022; 2022:1751460. [PMID: 36276583 PMCID: PMC9586729 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1751460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A novel robotic exoskeleton for fingers rehabilitation is developed, which is driven by linear motors through Bowden cables. For each finger, in addition to three links acting as phalanxes, two more links acting as knuckles are also implemented. Links are connected through passive joints, by which translational and rotary movements can be realized simultaneously. Either flexion or extension motion is accomplished by one cable of adequate stiffness. This exoskeleton possesses good adaptability to finger length of different subjects and length variations during movement. The exoskeleton’s kinematics model is built by the statistics method, and piecewise polynomial functions (PPF) are chosen to describe the relationship between motor displacement and joint variables. Finally, the relationship between motor displacement and the finger’s total bending angle is obtained, which can be used for rehabilitation trajectory planning. Experimental results show that this exoskeleton achieves nearly the maximum finger bending angle of a healthy adult person, with the maximum driving force of 68.6 N.
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22
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Chang SH, Tseng SC, Su H, Francisco GE. Editorial: How can wearable robotic and sensor technology advance neurorehabilitation? Front Neurorobot 2022; 16:1033516. [DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2022.1033516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Yurkewich A, Ortega S, Sanchez J, Wang RH, Burdet E. Integrating hand exoskeletons into goal-oriented clinic and home stroke and spinal cord injury rehabilitation. J Rehabil Assist Technol Eng 2022; 9:20556683221130970. [PMID: 36212185 PMCID: PMC9535266 DOI: 10.1177/20556683221130970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Robotic exoskeletons are emerging as rehabilitation and assistive
technologies that simultaneously restore function and enable independence
for people with disabilities. Aim We investigated the feasibility and orthotic and restorative effects of an
exoskeleton-supported goal-directed rehabilitation program for people with
hand impairments after stroke or Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). Method A single-arm case-series feasibility study was conducted using a wearable
untethered hand exoskeleton during goal-directed therapy programs with
in-clinic and at-home components. Therapists trained stroke and SCI patients
to use a hand exoskeleton during rehabilitation exercises, activities of
daily living and patient-selected goals. Each patient received a 1-hour
in-clinic training session on five consecutive days, then took the
exoskeleton home for two consecutive days to perform therapist-recommended
tasks. Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) and the Box and Block Test (BBT) were
administered at baseline, after in-clinic
therapy and after home use, with and again without wearing
the exoskeleton. The System Usability Scale (SUS), Motor Activity Log, and
Fugl-Meyer Assessment were also administered to assess the intervention’s
acceptability, adherence, usability and effectiveness. Results Four stroke patients (Chedoke McMaster Stage of Hand 2–4) and one SCI patient
(ASIA C8 Motor Stage 1) 23 ± 19 months post-injury wore the hand exoskeleton
to perform 280 ± 23 exercise repetitions in the clinic and additional
goal-oriented tasks at home. The patients performed their own goals and the
dexterity task with higher performance following the 7-days therapy program
in comparison to baseline for both exoskeleton-assisted (ΔGAS: 18 ± 10,
ΔBBT: 1 ± 5) and unassisted (ΔGAS: 14 ± 14, ΔBBT: 3 ± 4) assessments.
Therapists and patients provided ‘good’ SUS ratings of 78 ± 6 and no harmful
events were reported. Conclusions The exoskeleton-supported stroke and SCI therapy program with in-clinic and
at-home training components was feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Yurkewich
- Bioengineering Department, Imperial College of Science
Technology and Medicine, London UK,Aaron Yurkewich, MESc, Institute of
Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Room 407,
Rosebrugh Bldg, 164 College St, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada.
| | - Sara Ortega
- Occupational Therapy, Centro Europeo de
Neurociencias, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Sanchez
- Occupational Therapy, Centro Europeo de
Neurociencias, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosalie H Wang
- Occupational Science and
Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Etienne Burdet
- Bioengineering Department, Imperial College of Science
Technology and Medicine, London UK
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Su H, Lee KS, Kim Y, Park HS. A Soft, Wearable Skin-Brace for Assisting Forearm Pronation and Supination With a Low-Profile Design. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2022. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2022.3211783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Su
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Kyoung-Soub Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Yusung Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Hyung-Soon Park
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
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Ramos O, Múnera M, Moazen M, Wurdemann H, Cifuentes CA. Assessment of Soft Actuators for Hand Exoskeletons: Pleated Textile Actuators and Fiber-Reinforced Silicone Actuators. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:924888. [PMID: 35903795 PMCID: PMC9315265 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.924888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Soft robotic approaches have been trialed for rehabilitation or assistive hand exoskeletons using silicone or textile actuators because they have more tolerance for alignment with biological joints than rigid exoskeletons. Textile actuators have not been previously evaluated, and this study compares the mechanical properties of textile and silicone actuators used in hand exoskeletons. The physical dimensions, the air pressure required to achieve a full bending motion, and the forces generated at the tip of the actuator were measured and compared. The results showed that the construction method of the silicone actuators is slower than the textile actuators, but it generates better dimensional accuracy. However, the air pressure required for the actuators to generate a full bending motion is significantly lower for textile actuators, and the blocking force generated at that pressure is 35% higher in the textile actuators. There are significant differences across all variables compared, indicating that actuators constructed using pleated textile techniques have greater potential for the construction of an exoskeleton for hand rehabilitation or assistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orion Ramos
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Department of Biomedical and Electronic Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Department of Biomedical and Electronic Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Mehran Moazen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Helge Wurdemann
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Carlos A. Cifuentes
- School of Engineering, Science and Technology, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia
- Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Carlos A. Cifuentes, ,
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Tanczak N, Ranzani R, Meyer JT, Devittori G, Califfi A, Dinacci D, Gassert R, Lambercy O, Kanzler CM. A Novel Mixed-Method Approach to Identify Needs and Requirements for Upper Limb Assistive Technology for Persons after Stroke. IEEE Int Conf Rehabil Robot 2022; 2022:1-6. [PMID: 36176118 DOI: 10.1109/icorr55369.2022.9896516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Following stroke, a significant portion of individuals suffer from upper limb impairments and struggle with activities of daily living. Dedicated assistive technology (AT), such as robotic hand orthoses (RHO), can help facilitate upper limb usage and allow users to regain independence in their daily lives. Often, users' needs and requirements are neglected in AT design, thereby contributing to poor technology acceptance. In this work, we propose and apply a mixed-method focus group combining qualitative and quantitative components to gather user expectations in view of a user-centred redesign of a RHO. Three main themes emerged from a thematic analysis of two focus groups (n=5): Experience after stroke, desired design features, and reflections and realisations. Participants listed device features they would look for in AT and ranked them relative to what they deem important and necessary for a satisfactory device. Participants primarily looked for AT that is effective, intuitive and easy to use. These insights complement traditional technical design requirements for RHO by considering user desires, aspects unfortunately often neglected in the early design process. This work provides guidelines allowing for the optimization of AT design to better match the needs of persons after stroke and improve technology acceptance.
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Haarman CJW, Hekman EEG, Maas EM, Rietman JS, Van Der Kooij H. Design and feasibility of the T-GRIP thumb exoskeleton to support the lateral pinch grasp of spinal cord injury patients. IEEE Int Conf Rehabil Robot 2022; 2022:1-6. [PMID: 36176123 DOI: 10.1109/icorr55369.2022.9896595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Improving the impaired hand function of spinal cord injury patients with a robotic exoskeleton can highly impact their self-management, and ultimately their quality of life. In this paper the design and evaluation of a new, lightweight (50 gram) robotic thumb exoskeleton, called TGRIP, was presented that supports the lateral pinch grasp. The mechanism consists of a linear actuator that was mounted to the dorsal side of the hand, and a force transmission mechanism that flexes the thumb towards the side of the index finger. The thumb movement was controlled through contralateral wrist rotation. Experimental results from an evaluation with three spinal cord injury patients showed that the achieved grip force (~ 7N) was higher and the overall performance during the Grasp and Release Test was better with the T-GRIP than without device. The device shows great potential for improving the hand function of patients with cervical spinal cord injury by actuating only a single degree of freedom.
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Cardoso LRL, Bochkezanian V, Forner-Cordero A, Melendez-Calderon A, Bo APL. Soft robotics and functional electrical stimulation advances for restoring hand function in people with SCI: a narrative review, clinical guidelines and future directions. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2022; 19:66. [PMID: 35773733 PMCID: PMC9245887 DOI: 10.1186/s12984-022-01043-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Recovery of hand function is crucial for the independence of people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Wearable devices based on soft robotics (SR) or functional electrical stimulation (FES) have been employed to assist the recovery of hand function both during activities of daily living (ADLs) and during therapy. However, the implementation of these wearable devices has not been compiled in a review focusing on the functional outcomes they can activate/elicit/stimulate/potentiate. This narrative review aims at providing a guide both for engineers to help in the development of new technologies and for clinicians to serve as clinical guidelines based on the available technology in order to assist and/or recover hand function in people with SCI. Methods A literature search was performed in Scopus, Pubmed and IEEE Xplore for articles involving SR devices or FES systems designed for hand therapy or assistance, published since 2010. Only studies that reported functional outcomes from individuals with SCI were selected. The final collections of both groups (SR and FES) were analysed based on the technical aspects and reported functional outcomes. Results A total of 37 out of 1101 articles were selected, 12 regarding SR and 25 involving FES devices. Most studies were limited to research prototypes, designed either for assistance or therapy. From an engineering perspective, technological improvements for home-based use such as portability, donning/doffing and the time spent with calibration were identified. From the clinician point of view, the most suitable technical features (e.g., user intent detection) and assessment tools should be determined according to the particular patient condition. A wide range of functional assessment tests were adopted, moreover, most studies used non-standardized tests. Conclusion SR and FES wearable devices are promising technologies to support hand function recovery in subjects with SCI. Technical improvements in aspects such as the user intent detection, portability or calibration as well as consistent assessment of functional outcomes were the main identified limitations. These limitations seem to be be preventing the translation into clinical practice of these technological devices created in the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas R L Cardoso
- Biomedical Engineering, School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Vanesa Bochkezanian
- College of Health Sciences, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, North Rockhampton, Australia
| | - Arturo Forner-Cordero
- Biomechatronics Laboratory, Escola Politecnica, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alejandro Melendez-Calderon
- Biomedical Engineering, School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.,School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.,Jamieson Trauma Institute, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Antonio P L Bo
- Biomedical Engineering, School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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Dragusanu M, Iqbal MZ, Baldi TL, Prattichizzo D, Malvezzi M. Design, Development, and Control of a Hand/Wrist Exoskeleton for Rehabilitation and Training. IEEE T ROBOT 2022. [DOI: 10.1109/tro.2022.3172510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mihai Dragusanu
- Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Muhammad Zubair Iqbal
- Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Tommaso Lisini Baldi
- Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Domenico Prattichizzo
- Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Monica Malvezzi
- Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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De la Cruz-Sánchez BA, Arias-Montiel M, Lugo-González E. EMG-controlled hand exoskeleton for assisted bilateral rehabilitation. Biocybern Biomed Eng 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbe.2022.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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31
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Current State of Robotics in Hand Rehabilitation after Stroke: A Systematic Review. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12094540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Among the methods of hand function rehabilitation after stroke, robot-assisted rehabilitation is widely used, and the use of hand rehabilitation robots can provide functional training of the hand or assist the paralyzed hand with activities of daily living. However, patients with hand disorders consistently report that the needs of some users are not being met. The purpose of this review is to understand the reasons why these user needs are not being adequately addressed, to explore research on hand rehabilitation robots, to review their current state of research in recent years, and to summarize future trends in the hope that it will be useful to researchers in this research area. This review summarizes the techniques in this paper in a systematic way. We first provide a comprehensive review of research institutions, commercial products, and literature. Thus, the state of the art and deficiencies of functional hand rehabilitation robots are sought and guide the development of subsequent hand rehabilitation robots. This review focuses specifically on the actuation and control of hand functional rehabilitation robots, as user needs are primarily focused on actuation and control strategies. We also review hand detection technologies and compare them with patient needs. The results show that the trends in recent years are more inclined to pursue new lightweight materials to improve hand adaptability, investigating intelligent control methods for human-robot interaction in hand functional rehabilitation robots to improve control robustness and accuracy, and VR virtual task positioning to improve the effectiveness of active rehabilitation training.
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Design and Characterization of a Rolling-Contact Involute Joint and Its Applications in Finger Exoskeletons. MACHINES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/machines10050301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The hand exoskeleton has been widely studied in the fields of hand rehabilitation and grasping assistance tasks. Current hand exoskeletons face challenges in combining a user-friendly design with a lightweight structure and accurate modeling of hand motion. In this study, we developed a finger exoskeleton with a rolling contact involute joint. Specific implementation methods were investigated, including an analysis of the mechanical characteristics of the involute joint model, the formula derivation of the joint parameter optimization algorithm, and the design process for a finger exoskeleton with an involute joint. Experiments were conducted using a finger exoskeleton prototype to evaluate the output trajectory and grasping force of the finger exoskeleton. An EMG-controlled hand exoskeleton was developed to verify the wearability and functionality of the glove. The experimental results show that the proposed involute joint can provide sufficient fingertip force (10N) while forming a lightweight exoskeleton to assist users with functional hand rehabilitation and grasping activities.
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33
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Liang R, Xu G, Li M, He B, Khalique U. Fusing Topology Optimization and Pseudo-Rigid-Body Method For the Development of a Finger Exoskeleton. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2022. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2021.3114418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Gantenbein J, Dittli J, Meyer JT, Gassert R, Lambercy O. Intention Detection Strategies for Robotic Upper-Limb Orthoses: A Scoping Review Considering Usability, Daily Life Application, and User Evaluation. Front Neurorobot 2022; 16:815693. [PMID: 35264940 PMCID: PMC8900616 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2022.815693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Wearable robotic upper limb orthoses (ULO) are promising tools to assist or enhance the upper-limb function of their users. While the functionality of these devices has continuously increased, the robust and reliable detection of the user's intention to control the available degrees of freedom remains a major challenge and a barrier for acceptance. As the information interface between device and user, the intention detection strategy (IDS) has a crucial impact on the usability of the overall device. Yet, this aspect and the impact it has on the device usability is only rarely evaluated with respect to the context of use of ULO. A scoping literature review was conducted to identify non-invasive IDS applied to ULO that have been evaluated with human participants, with a specific focus on evaluation methods and findings related to functionality and usability and their appropriateness for specific contexts of use in daily life. A total of 93 studies were identified, describing 29 different IDS that are summarized and classified according to a four-level classification scheme. The predominant user input signal associated with the described IDS was electromyography (35.6%), followed by manual triggers such as buttons, touchscreens or joysticks (16.7%), as well as isometric force generated by residual movement in upper-limb segments (15.1%). We identify and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of IDS with respect to specific contexts of use and highlight a trade-off between performance and complexity in selecting an optimal IDS. Investigating evaluation practices to study the usability of IDS, the included studies revealed that, primarily, objective and quantitative usability attributes related to effectiveness or efficiency were assessed. Further, it underlined the lack of a systematic way to determine whether the usability of an IDS is sufficiently high to be appropriate for use in daily life applications. This work highlights the importance of a user- and application-specific selection and evaluation of non-invasive IDS for ULO. For technology developers in the field, it further provides recommendations on the selection process of IDS as well as to the design of corresponding evaluation protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Gantenbein
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jan Dittli
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jan Thomas Meyer
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roger Gassert
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Olivier Lambercy
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore
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35
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Perez-Guagnelli E, Jones J, D. Damian D. Hyperelastic Membrane Actuators: Analysis of Toroidal and Helical Multifunctional Configurations. CYBORG AND BIONIC SYSTEMS 2022; 2022:9786864. [PMID: 36285311 PMCID: PMC9494722 DOI: 10.34133/2022/9786864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Technologies that provide mechanical assistance are required in the medical field, such as implants that regenerate tissue through elongation and stimulation. One of the challenges is to develop actuators that combine the benefits of high axial extension at low pressures, modularity, multifunction, and load-bearing capabilities into one design while maintaining their shape and softness. Overcoming such a challenge will provide implants with enhanced capacity for mechanical assistance to induce tissue regeneration. We introduce two novel actuators (M2H) built of stacked Hyperelastic Ballooning Membrane Actuators (HBMAs) that can be realized using helical and toroidal configurations. By restraining the HBMA expansion deterministically using a semisoft exoskeleton, the actuators are endowed with axial extension and radial expansion capabilities. These actuators are thus built of modules that can be configured to different therapeutical needs and multifunctionality, to provide anatomically congruent stimulation. We present the design, fabrication, testing, and numerical and experimental validation of the M2H-HBMAs. They can axially extend up to 41% and 32% in their helical and toroidal configurations at input pressures as low as 26 and 24 kPa, respectively. If the axial extension module is used separately, its extension capacity reaches >170%. The M2H-HBMAs can perform independent and simultaneous expansion and extension motions with negligible intraluminal deformation as well as stand at least 1 kg of axial force without collapsing. The M2H-HBMAs overcome the limitations of hyperexpanding machines that show low resistance to load. We envisage M2H-HBMAs as promising tools to perform tissue regeneration procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joanna Jones
- Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield, UK
| | - Dana D. Damian
- Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield, UK
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36
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Tiboni M, Borboni A, Vérité F, Bregoli C, Amici C. Sensors and Actuation Technologies in Exoskeletons: A Review. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:884. [PMID: 35161629 PMCID: PMC8839165 DOI: 10.3390/s22030884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Exoskeletons are robots that closely interact with humans and that are increasingly used for different purposes, such as rehabilitation, assistance in the activities of daily living (ADLs), performance augmentation or as haptic devices. In the last few decades, the research activity on these robots has grown exponentially, and sensors and actuation technologies are two fundamental research themes for their development. In this review, an in-depth study of the works related to exoskeletons and specifically to these two main aspects is carried out. A preliminary phase investigates the temporal distribution of scientific publications to capture the interest in studying and developing novel ideas, methods or solutions for exoskeleton design, actuation and sensors. The distribution of the works is also analyzed with respect to the device purpose, body part to which the device is dedicated, operation mode and design methods. Subsequently, actuation and sensing solutions for the exoskeletons described by the studies in literature are analyzed in detail, highlighting the main trends in their development and spread. The results are presented with a schematic approach, and cross analyses among taxonomies are also proposed to emphasize emerging peculiarities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Tiboni
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze, 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (M.T.); (C.A.)
| | - Alberto Borboni
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze, 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (M.T.); (C.A.)
| | - Fabien Vérité
- Agathe Group INSERM U 1150, UMR 7222 CNRS, ISIR (Institute of Intelligent Systems and Robotics), Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France;
| | - Chiara Bregoli
- Institute of Condensed Matter Chemistry and Technologies for Energy (ICMATE), National Research Council (CNR), Via Previati 1/E, 23900 Lecco, Italy;
| | - Cinzia Amici
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze, 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (M.T.); (C.A.)
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Chen W, Li G, Li N, Wang W, Yu P, Wang R, Xue X, Zhao X, Liu L. Soft Exoskeleton With Fully Actuated Thumb Movements for Grasping Assistance. IEEE T ROBOT 2022. [DOI: 10.1109/tro.2022.3148909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Chen A, Winterbottom L, Park S, Xu J, Nilsen DM, Stein J, Ciocarlie M. Thumb Stabilization and Assistance in a Robotic Hand Orthosis for Post-Stroke Hemiparesis. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2022; 7:8276-8282. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2022.3185365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ava Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lauren Winterbottom
- Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sangwoo Park
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jingxi Xu
- Department of Computer Science, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dawn M. Nilsen
- Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joel Stein
- Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matei Ciocarlie
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Rätz R, Conti F, Müri RM, Marchal-Crespo L. A Novel Clinical-Driven Design for Robotic Hand Rehabilitation: Combining Sensory Training, Effortless Setup, and Large Range of Motion in a Palmar Device. Front Neurorobot 2021; 15:748196. [PMID: 34987371 PMCID: PMC8721892 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2021.748196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurorehabilitation research suggests that not only high training intensity, but also somatosensory information plays a fundamental role in the recovery of stroke patients. Yet, there is currently a lack of easy-to-use robotic solutions for sensorimotor hand rehabilitation. We addressed this shortcoming by developing a novel clinical-driven robotic hand rehabilitation device, which is capable of fine haptic rendering, and that supports physiological full flexion/extension of the fingers while offering an effortless setup. Our palmar design, based on a parallelogram coupled to a principal revolute joint, introduces the following novelties: (1) While allowing for an effortless installation of the user's hand, it offers large range of motion of the fingers (full extension to 180° flexion). (2) The kinematic design ensures that all fingers are supported through the full range of motion and that the little finger does not lose contact with the finger support in extension. (3) We took into consideration that a handle is usually comfortably grasped such that its longitudinal axis runs obliquely from the metacarpophalangeal joint of the index finger to the base of the hypothenar eminence. (4) The fingertip path was optimized to guarantee physiologically correct finger movements for a large variety of hand sizes. Moreover, the device possesses a high mechanical transparency, which was achieved using a backdrivable cable transmission. The transparency was further improved with the implementation of friction and gravity compensation. In a test with six healthy participants, the root mean square of the human-robot interaction force was found to remain as low as 1.37 N in a dynamic task. With its clinical-driven design and easy-to-use setup, our robotic device for hand sensorimotor rehabilitation has the potential for high clinical acceptance, applicability and effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Rätz
- Motor Learning and Neurorehabilitation Laboratory, ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - René M. Müri
- Department of Neurology, University Neurorehabilitation, University Hospital Bern (Inselspital), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Laura Marchal-Crespo
- Motor Learning and Neurorehabilitation Laboratory, ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Cognitive Robotics, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
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Modeling and Evaluation of a Novel Hybrid-Driven Compliant Hand Exoskeleton Based on Human-Machine Coupling Model. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app112210825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
This paper presents the modeling design method for a novel hybrid-driven compliant hand exoskeleton based on the human-machine coupling model for the patients who have requirements on training and assisting. Firstly, the human-machine coupling model is established based on the kinematics characteristics of human fingers and the Bernoulli beam formula. On this basis, the variable stiffness flexible hinge (VSFH) is used to drive the finger extension and the cable-driven mechanism is used to implement the movement of the finger flexion. Here, a hand orthosis is designed in the proposed hand exoskeleton to act as the base and maintain the function position of the hand for patients with hand dysfunction. Then, a final design prototype is fabricated to evaluate the proposed modeling method. In the end, a series of experiments based on the prototype is proceeded to evaluate its capabilities on stretching force for extension, bio-imitability, finger flexion capability, and fingertip force. The results show that the prototype has a significant improvement in all aspects of the ability mentioned above, and has good bionics. The proposed design method can be utilized to implement the rapid design of the hybrid-driven compliant hand exoskeleton with the changed requirements. The novel modeling method can be easily applied in personalized design in rehabilitation engineering.
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Khan MA, Saibene M, Das R, Brunner IC, Puthusserypady S. Emergence of flexible technology in developing advanced systems for post-stroke rehabilitation: a comprehensive review. J Neural Eng 2021; 18. [PMID: 34736239 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac36aa] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Stroke is one of the most common neural disorders, which causes physical disabilities and motor impairments among its survivors. Several technologies have been developed for providing stroke rehabilitation and to assist the survivors in performing their daily life activities. Currently, the use of flexible technology (FT) for stroke rehabilitation systems is on a rise that allows the development of more compact and lightweight wearable systems, which stroke survivors can easily use for long-term activities. APPROACH For stroke applications, FT mainly includes the "flexible/stretchable electronics", "e-textile (electronic textile)" and "soft robotics". Thus, a thorough literature review has been performed to report the practical implementation of FT for post-stroke application. MAIN RESULTS In this review, the highlights of the advancement of FT in stroke rehabilitation systems are dealt with. Such systems mainly involve the "biosignal acquisition unit", "rehabilitation devices" and "assistive systems". In terms of biosignals acquisition, electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) are comprehensively described. For rehabilitation/assistive systems, the application of functional electrical stimulation (FES) and robotics units (exoskeleton, orthosis, etc.) have been explained. SIGNIFICANCE This is the first review article that compiles the different studies regarding flexible technology based post-stroke systems. Furthermore, the technological advantages, limitations, and possible future implications are also discussed to help improve and advance the flexible systems for the betterment of the stroke community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Ahmed Khan
- Technical University of Denmark, Ørsteds Plads Building 345C, Room 215, Lyngby, 2800, DENMARK
| | - Matteo Saibene
- Technical University of Denmark, Ørsteds Plads, Building 345C, Lyngby, 2800, DENMARK
| | - Rig Das
- Technical University of Denmark, Ørsteds Plads Building 345C, Room 214, Lyngby, 2800, DENMARK
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A Compact and Lightweight Rehabilitative Exoskeleton to Restore Grasping Functions for People with Hand Paralysis. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21206900. [PMID: 34696113 PMCID: PMC8540222 DOI: 10.3390/s21206900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Millions of individuals suffer from upper extremity paralysis caused by neurological disorders including stroke, traumatic brain injury, or spinal cord injury. Robotic hand exoskeletons can substitute the missing motor control and help restore the functions in daily operations. However, most of the hand exoskeletons are bulky, stationary, and cumbersome to use. We have modified a recent existing design (Tenoexo) to prototype a motorized, lightweight, fully wearable rehabilitative hand exoskeleton by combining rigid parts with a soft mechanism capable of producing various grasps needed for the execution of daily tasks. Mechanical evaluation of our exoskeleton showed that it can produce fingertip force up to 8 N and can cover 91.5° of range of motion in just 3 s. We further tested the performance of the developed robotic exoskeleton in two quadriplegics with chronic hand paralysis and observed immediate success on independent grasping of different daily objects. The results suggested that our exoskeleton is a viable option for hand function assistance, allowing patients to regain lost finger control for everyday activities.
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Soft Exoskeletons: Development, Requirements, and Challenges of the Last Decade. ACTUATORS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/act10070166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In this article, various investigations on soft exoskeletons are presented and their functional and structural characteristics are analyzed. The present work is oriented to the studies of the last decade and covers the upper and lower joints, specifically the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, and ankle. Its functionality, applicability, and main characteristics are exposed, such as degrees of freedom, force, actuators, power transmission methods, control systems, and sensors. The purpose of this work is to show the current trend in the development of soft exoskeletons, in addition to specifying the essential characteristics that must be considered in its design and the challenges that its construction implies.
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Mechanical Design and Analysis of the End-Effector Finger Rehabilitation Robot (EFRR) for Stroke Patients. MACHINES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/machines9060110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Most existing finger rehabilitation robots are structurally complex and cannot be adapted to multiple work conditions, such as clinical and home. In addition, there is a lack of attention to active adduction/abduction (A/A) movement, which prevents stroke patients from opening the joint in time and affects the rehabilitation process. In this paper, an end-effector finger rehabilitation robot (EFRR) with active A/A motion that can be applied to a variety of applications is proposed. First, the natural movement curve of the finger is analyzed, which is the basis of the mechanism design. Based on the working principle of the cam mechanism, the flexion/extension (F/E) movement module is designed and the details used to ensure the safety and reliability of the device are introduced. Then, a novel A/A movement module is proposed, using the components that can easily individualized design to achieve active A/A motion only by one single motor, which makes up for the shortcomings of the existing devices. As for the control system, a fuzzy proportional-derivative (PD) adaptive impedance control strategy based on the position information is proposed, which can make the device more compliant, avoid secondary injuries caused by excessive muscle tension, and protect the fingers effectively. Finally, some preliminary experiments of the prototype are reported, and the results shows that the EFRR has good performance, which lays the foundation for future work.
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Lambercy O, Lehner R, Chua K, Wee SK, Rajeswaran DK, Kuah CWK, Ang WT, Liang P, Campolo D, Hussain A, Aguirre-Ollinger G, Guan C, Kanzler CM, Wenderoth N, Gassert R. Neurorehabilitation From a Distance: Can Intelligent Technology Support Decentralized Access to Quality Therapy? Front Robot AI 2021; 8:612415. [PMID: 34026855 PMCID: PMC8132098 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2021.612415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Current neurorehabilitation models primarily rely on extended hospital stays and regular therapy sessions requiring close physical interactions between rehabilitation professionals and patients. The current COVID-19 pandemic has challenged this model, as strict physical distancing rules and a shift in the allocation of hospital resources resulted in many neurological patients not receiving essential therapy. Accordingly, a recent survey revealed that the majority of European healthcare professionals involved in stroke care are concerned that this lack of care will have a noticeable negative impact on functional outcomes. COVID-19 highlights an urgent need to rethink conventional neurorehabilitation and develop alternative approaches to provide high-quality therapy while minimizing hospital stays and visits. Technology-based solutions, such as, robotics bear high potential to enable such a paradigm shift. While robot-assisted therapy is already established in clinics, the future challenge is to enable physically assisted therapy and assessments in a minimally supervized and decentralized manner, ideally at the patient’s home. Key enablers are new rehabilitation devices that are portable, scalable and equipped with clinical intelligence, remote monitoring and coaching capabilities. In this perspective article, we discuss clinical and technological requirements for the development and deployment of minimally supervized, robot-assisted neurorehabilitation technologies in patient’s homes. We elaborate on key principles to ensure feasibility and acceptance, and on how artificial intelligence can be leveraged for embedding clinical knowledge for safe use and personalized therapy adaptation. Such new models are likely to impact neurorehabilitation beyond COVID-19, by providing broad access to sustained, high-quality and high-dose therapy maximizing long-term functional outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Lambercy
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland.,Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Rea Lehner
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore.,Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Karen Chua
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore.,Centre for Advanced Rehabilitation Therapeutics, Tan Tock Seng Hospital Rehabilitation Centre, Singapore, Singapore.,Rehabilitation Research Institute Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Seng Kwee Wee
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore.,Centre for Advanced Rehabilitation Therapeutics, Tan Tock Seng Hospital Rehabilitation Centre, Singapore, Singapore.,Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Deshan Kumar Rajeswaran
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore.,Centre for Advanced Rehabilitation Therapeutics, Tan Tock Seng Hospital Rehabilitation Centre, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Christopher Wee Keong Kuah
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore.,Centre for Advanced Rehabilitation Therapeutics, Tan Tock Seng Hospital Rehabilitation Centre, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Wei Tech Ang
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore.,Rehabilitation Research Institute Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Phyllis Liang
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore.,Rehabilitation Research Institute Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Domenico Campolo
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore.,School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Asif Hussain
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore.,School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Articares Pte Ltd, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Cuntai Guan
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore.,School of Computer Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Christoph M Kanzler
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland.,Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nicole Wenderoth
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore.,Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roger Gassert
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland.,Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore
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Feng M, Yang D, Gu G. High-Force Fabric-Based Pneumatic Actuators With Asymmetric Chambers and Interference-Reinforced Structure for Soft Wearable Assistive Gloves. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2021. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2021.3062588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Abstract
Disabilities are a global issue due to the decrease in life quality and mobility of patients, especially people suffering from hand disabilities. This paper presents a review of active hand exoskeleton technologies, over the past decade, for rehabilitation, assistance, augmentation, and haptic devices. Hand exoskeletons are still an active research field due to challenges that engineers face and are trying to solve. Each hand exoskeleton has certain requirements to fulfil to achieve their aims. These requirements have been extracted and categorized into two sections: general and specific, to give a common platform for developing future devices. Since this is still a developing area, the requirements are also shaped according to the advances in the field. Technical challenges, such as size requirements, weight, ergonomics, rehabilitation, actuators, and sensors are all due to the complex anatomy and biomechanics of the hand. The hand is one of the most complex structures in the human body; therefore, to understand certain design approaches, the anatomy and biomechanics of the hand are addressed in this paper. The control of these devices is also an arising challenge due to the implementation of intelligent systems and new rehabilitation techniques. This includes intention detection techniques (electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), admittance) and estimating applied assistance. Therefore, this paper summarizes the technology in a systematic approach and reviews the state of the art of active hand exoskeletons with a focus on rehabilitation and assistive devices.
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Dittli J, Hofmann UAT, Bützer T, Smit G, Lambercy O, Gassert R. Remote Actuation Systems for Fully Wearable Assistive Devices: Requirements, Selection, and Optimization for Out-of-the-Lab Application of a Hand Exoskeleton. Front Robot AI 2021; 7:596185. [PMID: 33585573 PMCID: PMC7876397 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2020.596185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Wearable robots assist individuals with sensorimotor impairment in daily life, or support industrial workers in physically demanding tasks. In such scenarios, low mass and compact design are crucial factors for device acceptance. Remote actuation systems (RAS) have emerged as a popular approach in wearable robots to reduce perceived weight and increase usability. Different RAS have been presented in the literature to accommodate for a wide range of applications and related design requirements. The push toward use of wearable robotics in out-of-the-lab applications in clinics, home environments, or industry created a shift in requirements for RAS. In this context, high durability, ergonomics, and simple maintenance gain in importance. However, these are only rarely considered and evaluated in research publications, despite being drivers for device abandonment by end-users. In this paper, we summarize existing approaches of RAS for wearable assistive technology in a literature review and compare advantages and disadvantages, focusing on specific evaluation criteria for out-of-the-lab applications to provide guidelines for the selection of RAS. Based on the gained insights, we present the development, optimization, and evaluation of a cable-based RAS for out-of-the-lab applications in a wearable assistive soft hand exoskeleton. The presented RAS features full wearability, high durability, high efficiency, and appealing design while fulfilling ergonomic criteria such as low mass and high wearing comfort. This work aims to support the transfer of RAS for wearable robotics from controlled lab environments to out-of-the-lab applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Dittli
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Urs A. T. Hofmann
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Bützer
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gerwin Smit
- Department of BioMechanical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands
| | - Olivier Lambercy
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roger Gassert
- Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Abstract
“Hello, I’m the TERMINATOR, and I’ll be your server today”. Diners might soon be feeling this greeting, with Optimus Prime in the kitchen and Wall-E then sending your order to C-3PO. In our daily lives, a version of that future is already showing up. Robotics companies are designing robots to handle tasks, including serving, interacting, collaborating, and helping. These service robots are intended to coexist with humans and engage in relationships that lead them to a better quality of life in our society. Their constant evolution and the arising of new challenges lead to an update of the existing systems. This update provides a generic vision of two questions: the advance of service robots, and more importantly, how these robots are applied in society (professional and personal) based on the market application. In this update, a new category is proposed: catering robotics. This proposal is based on the technological advances that generate new multidisciplinary application fields and challenges. Waiter robots is an example of the catering robotics. These robotic platforms might have social capacities to interact with the consumer and other robots, and at the same time, might have physical skills to perform complex tasks in professional environments such as restaurants. This paper explains the guidelines to develop a waiter robot, considering aspects such as architecture, interaction, planning, and execution.
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