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A Novel Bilateral Underactuated Upper Limb Exoskeleton for Post-Stroke Bimanual ADL Training.

Authors :
Kwok TM
Yu H
Source :
IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering : a publication of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society [IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng] 2024; Vol. 32, pp. 3299-3309. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Sep 16.
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

This paper introduces a lightweight bilateral underactuated upper limb exoskeleton (UULE) designed to assist chronic stroke patients with distal joint (Elbow-Wrist) impairments during bimanual activities of daily living (ADL). The UULE aims to assist patients in shoulder flexion/extension, elbow flexion/extension, forearm pronation/supination, and wrist flexion/extension. Notable features include (i) a cable-driven mechanism maintaining a lightweight structure (1.783 kg); (ii) passive joints conforming to less-impaired proximal joints, reducing restrictions on their movements; (iii) a compact design with passive ball joints enabling bilateral configuration for scapula protraction/retraction; and (iv) implementation of the master-slave joint assistance training strategy in an underactuated exoskeleton, achieving symmetric robot joint motion in bimanual ADL. Experiments with ten healthy subjects demonstrated the UULE's effectiveness by revealing significant reductions in muscle activity in a symmetric bimanual ADL task. These advancements address critical limitations of current exoskeletons, showcasing the UULE as a promising contribution to lightweight and effective robotic rehabilitation strategies for chronic stroke patients.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1558-0210
Volume :
32
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering : a publication of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
38814776
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1109/TNSRE.2024.3407653