Robot Assisted Upper Limb Neuro-Rehabilitation
Robot Assisted Upper Limb Neuro-Rehabilitation
Our long term objectives are to understand the mechanisms of motor impairment following neurologic injury and to develop interventions to improve motor recovery. A series of complementary, overlapping clinical trials and development activities will validate and optimize the use of robot-assisted upper limb therapy for neuro rehabilitation.
We have developed a robotic system that assists or resists elbow and shoulder movements in three dimensional space. In addition to unilateral exercise modes, a novel bimanual mode enables hemiparetic subjects to practice mirror image upper limb exercises.
Randomized controlled clinical trial of the Mirror Image Movement Enabler (MIME) robotic device for shoulder and elbow neurorehabilitation in subacute stroke patients. MIME incorporates a PUMA 560 robot that applies forces to the paretic limb during unilateral and bilateral movements in three dimensions. Robot-assisted treatment (bilateral, unilateral, and combined bilateral and unilateral) was compared with conventional therapy.
Inclusion Criteria:
Stroke patients
Exclusion Criteria:
Unable to follow instructions; medically unstable.