scholarly journals Review on Patient-Cooperative Control Strategies for Upper-Limb Rehabilitation Exoskeletons

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Dalla Gasperina ◽  
Loris Roveda ◽  
Alessandra Pedrocchi ◽  
Francesco Braghin ◽  
Marta Gandolla
Keyword(s):  
Upper Limb ◽  
Cooperative Control ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Level Control ◽  
Rehabilitation Treatment ◽  
Upper Limb Rehabilitation ◽  
High Level ◽  
Limb Rehabilitation ◽  
Training Modalities

Technology-supported rehabilitation therapy for neurological patients has gained increasing interest since the last decades. The literature agrees that the goal of robots should be to induce motor plasticity in subjects undergoing rehabilitation treatment by providing the patients with repetitive, intensive, and task-oriented treatment. As a key element, robot controllers should adapt to patients’ status and recovery stage. Thus, the design of effective training modalities and their hardware implementation play a crucial role in robot-assisted rehabilitation and strongly influence the treatment outcome. The objective of this paper is to provide a multi-disciplinary vision of patient-cooperative control strategies for upper-limb rehabilitation exoskeletons to help researchers bridge the gap between human motor control aspects, desired rehabilitation training modalities, and their hardware implementations. To this aim, we propose a three-level classification based on 1) “high-level” training modalities, 2) “low-level” control strategies, and 3) “hardware-level” implementation. Then, we provide examples of literature upper-limb exoskeletons to show how the three levels of implementation have been combined to obtain a given high-level behavior, which is specifically designed to promote motor relearning during the rehabilitation treatment. Finally, we emphasize the need for the development of compliant control strategies, based on the collaboration between the exoskeleton and the wearer, we report the key findings to promote the desired physical human-robot interaction for neurorehabilitation, and we provide insights and suggestions for future works.

scholarly journals A Human-Robot Cooperative and Personalized Compliant Joint Controller for Upper-Limb Rehabilitation Robots: The Elbow Joint Validation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Dalla Gasperina ◽  
Valeria Longatelli ◽  
Francesco Braghin ◽  
Alessandra Laura Giulia Pedrocchi ◽  
Marta Gandolla
Keyword(s):  
Upper Limb ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Control Law ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Activation Patterns ◽  
Upper Limb Rehabilitation ◽  
Control Framework ◽  
High Level ◽  
Limb Rehabilitation ◽  
Muscular Activation

Abstract Background: Appropriate training modalities for post-stroke upper-limb rehabilitation are key features for effective recovery after the acute event. This work presents a novel human-robot cooperative control framework that promotes compliant motion and renders different high-level human-robot interaction rehabilitation modalities under a unified low-level control scheme. Methods: The presented control law is based on a loadcell-based impedance controller provided with positive-feedback compensation terms for disturbances rejection and dynamics compensation. We developed an elbow flexion-extension experimental setup, and we conducted experiments to evaluate the controller performances. Seven high-level modalities, characterized by different levels of (i) impedance-based corrective assistance, (ii) weight counterbalance assistance, and (iii) resistance, have been defined and tested with 14 healthy volunteers.Results: The unified controller demonstrated suitability to promote good transparency and render compliant and high-impedance behavior at the joint. Superficial electromyography results showed different muscular activation patterns according to the rehabilitation modalities. Results suggested to avoid weight counterbalance assistance, since it could induce different motor relearning with respect to purely impedance-based corrective strategies. Conclusion: We proved that the proposed control framework could implement different physical human-robot interaction modalities and promote the assist-as-needed paradigm, helping the user to accomplish the task, while maintaining physiological muscular activation patterns. Future insights involve the extension to multiple degrees of freedom robots and the investigation of an adaptation control law that makes the controller learn and adapt in a therapist-like manner.

scholarly journals Reviewing high-level control techniques on robot-assisted upper-limb rehabilitation

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (24) ◽  
pp. 1253-1268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Miao ◽  
Mingming Zhang ◽  
Jinghui Cao ◽  
Sheng Q. Xie
Keyword(s):  
Upper Limb ◽  
Level Control ◽  
Robot Assisted ◽  
Upper Limb Rehabilitation ◽  
Control Techniques ◽  
High Level ◽  
Limb Rehabilitation

scholarly journals Design and Development of an Upper Limb Rehabilitative Robot with Dual Functionality

Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 870
Author(s):  
Md Rasedul Islam ◽  
Md Assad-Uz-Zaman ◽  
Brahim Brahmi ◽  
Yassine Bouteraa ◽  
Inga Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Upper Limb ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Control Technique ◽  
Upper Arm ◽  
Interaction Forces ◽  
End Effector ◽  
Upper Limb Rehabilitation ◽  
End Point ◽  
Limb Rehabilitation

The design of an upper limb rehabilitation robot for post-stroke patients is considered a benchmark problem regarding improving functionality and ensuring better human–robot interaction (HRI). Existing upper limb robots perform either joint-based exercises (exoskeleton-type functionality) or end-point exercises (end-effector-type functionality). Patients may need both kinds of exercises, depending on the type, level, and degree of impairments. This work focused on designing and developing a seven-degrees-of-freedom (DoFs) upper-limb rehabilitation exoskeleton called ‘u-Rob’ that functions as both exoskeleton and end-effector types device. Furthermore, HRI can be improved by monitoring the interaction forces between the robot and the wearer. Existing upper limb robots lack the ability to monitor interaction forces during passive rehabilitation exercises; measuring upper arm forces is also absent in the existing devices. This research work aimed to develop an innovative sensorized upper arm cuff to measure the wearer’s interaction forces in the upper arm. A PID control technique was implemented for both joint-based and end-point exercises. The experimental results validated both types of functionality of the developed robot.

Kinematic dexterity analysis of human-robot interaction of an upper limb rehabilitation robot

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Qing Sun ◽  
Shuai Guo ◽  
Leigang Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Upper Limb ◽  
Constraint Equation ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Rehabilitation Robot ◽  
Connecting Rod ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Upper Limb Rehabilitation ◽  
Rehabilitation Training ◽  
Limb Rehabilitation ◽  
Training Trajectory

BACKGROUND: The definition of rehabilitation training trajectory is of great significance during rehabilitation training, and the dexterity of human-robot interaction motion provides a basis for selecting the trajectory of interaction motion. OBJECTIVE: Aimed at the kinematic dexterity of human-robot interaction, a velocity manipulability ellipsoid intersection volume (VMEIV) index is proposed for analysis, and the dexterity distribution cloud map is obtained with the human-robot cooperation space. METHOD: Firstly, the motion constraint equation of human-robot interaction is established, and the Jacobian matrix is obtained based on the speed of connecting rod. Then, the Monte Carlo method and the cell body segmentation method are used to obtain the collaborative space of human-robot interaction, and the VMEIV of human-robot interaction is solved in the cooperation space. Finally, taking the upper limb rehabilitation robot as the research object, the dexterity analysis of human-robot interaction is carried out by using the index of the approximate volume of the VMEIV. RESULTS: The results of the simulation and experiment have a certain consistency, which indicates that the VMEIV index is effective as an index of human-robot interaction kinematic dexterity. CONCLUSIONS: The VMEIV index can measure the kinematic dexterity of human-robot interaction, and provide a reference for the training trajectory selection of rehabilitation robot.

scholarly journals System Framework of Robotics in Upper Limb Rehabilitation on Poststroke Motor Recovery

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Zhang ◽  
Xiaofeng Chen ◽  
Fei Liu ◽  
Haili Tang ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Upper Limb ◽  
Mechanical Design ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Functional Mobility ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Clinical Effects ◽  
Repetitive Movement ◽  
Upper Limb Rehabilitation ◽  
Rehabilitation Robots ◽  
Limb Rehabilitation

Neurological impairments such as stroke cause damage to the functional mobility of survivors and affect their ability to perform activities of daily living. Recently, robotic treatment for upper limb stroke rehabilitation has received significant attention because it can provide high-intensity and repetitive movement therapy. In this review, the current status of upper limb rehabilitation robots is explored. Firstly, an overview of mechanical design of robotics for upper-limb rehabilitation and clinical effects of part robots are provided. Then, the comparisons of human-machine interactions, control strategies, driving modes, and training modes are described. Finally, the development and the possible future directions of the upper limb rehabilitation robot are discussed.

Human-robot coupling modeling and analysis for upper limb rehabilitation robots

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Qiaolian Xie ◽  
Qiaoling Meng ◽  
Yue Dai ◽  
Qingxin Zeng ◽  
Yuanjie Fan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Upper Limb ◽  
Dynamic Control ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Rehabilitation Robot ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Upper Limb Rehabilitation ◽  
Modeling And Analysis ◽  
Rehabilitation Robots ◽  
Human Arm ◽  
Limb Rehabilitation

BACKGROUND: Upper limb rehabilitation robots have become an important piece of equipment in stroke rehabilitation. Human-robot coupling (HRC) dynamics play a key role in the control of rehabilitation robots to improve human-robot interaction. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to study the methods of modeling and analysis of HRC dynamics to realize more accurate dynamic control of upper limb rehabilitation robots. METHODS: By the analysis of force interaction between the human arm and the upper limb rehabilitation robot, the HRC torque is achieved by summing up the robot torque and the human arm torque. The HRC torque and robot torque of a 2-DOF upper limb rehabilitation robot (FLEXO-Arm) are solved by Lagrangian equation and step-by-step dynamic parameters identification method. RESULTS: The root mean square (RMS) is used to evaluate the accuracy of the HRC torque and the robot torque calculated by the parameter identification, and the error of both is about 10%. Moreover, the HRC torque and the robot torque are compared with the actual torque measured by torque sensors. The error of the robot torque is more than twice the HRC. Therefore, the HRC torque is more accurate than the actual torque. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed HRC dynamics effectively achieves more accurate dynamic control of upper limb rehabilitation robots.

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