[ARTICLE] Creating gesture controlled games for robot-assisted stroke rehabilitation – Full Text PDF

Abstract

Regular training exercises are fundamental to regain functional use of arm and hand control after a stroke. With the SCRIPT system, the patient can practice hand excercising independently at home by playing gesture controlled games using a robotic glove (orthosis). The system could offer prolonged rehabilitation out of the clinic, with low cost treatment. In the first version of the system (Script 1), a set of therapeutic games were developed within the project and tested in formative and summative evaluations. The main findings indicate that motivational aspects play a major role. The main issues detected concerns the challenge for the patients to understand and remember the correct gestures. Following a User Centered Design process, these findings helped to improve the new version of the system (Script 2).

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[WEB SITE] Robots for stroke rehabilitation — ScienceDaily

Researchers at the University of Hertfordshire and a team of European partners have developed a prototype of a robotic glove which stroke suffers can use in their own home to support rehabilitation and personal independence in receiving therapies.

At the chronic stages of stroke, patients are not likely to be receiving treatment but they continue to live with some impairments — the glove’s goal is to provide therapies to target these impairments.

Over the past three years the team developed two prototype robotic gloves, which facilitate repetitive movement and exercise of the hand and wrist. The device also records the patient’s performance and sends this to a therapist for tailoring treatment remotely and arranging follow-up.

Dr Farshid Amirabdollahian, an expert in rehabilitation robotics and assistive technologies and a senior lecturer in adaptive systems at the University’s School of Computer Science co-ordinated the €4,643,983 project called SCRIPT (Supervised Care and Rehabilitation Involving Personal Tele-robotics).

Dr Amirabdollahian said: “This project focused on therapies for stroke patients at home. Our goal was to make motivating therapies available to people to practise at home using this system, hoping that they have a vested interest to practise and will do so. We tried this system with 30 patients and found that patients indeed practised at home, on average around 100 minutes each week, and some showed clinical improvements in their hand and arm function.”

The overall aim of the project was to provide an educational, motivational and engaging interaction, making a more positive therapy session for the patient, while providing feedback to them and their health care professionals. Given the results achieved, the team is now considering a follow-up project to improve recovery outcomes, while also searching for funding to turn this prototype into a product for home rehabilitation.

The team have passed the proof-of-concept stage and are now looking at getting the glove into production.

via Robots for stroke rehabilitation — ScienceDaily.

[WEB SITE] The robotic glove that exercises an injured hand | Daily Mail Online

Patients struggling to move their fingers after an accident or a stroke, will soon be given a helping hand… from a robotic glove.

Developed by Italian engineers, the Gloreha glove can be used on either hand during rehabilitation exercises and takes about three minute to fit.

It is powered by a series of pneumatic cylinders running along the back of the hand and each digit.

This allows gentle pressure to be put on the hand to guide it during exercises but also for the person to move their hand independently to recreate gestures such as pointing and grasping.

The right move: The sensors on the robotic glove are linked with software showing 3D animations. This helps the patient and medical staff calibrate the correct treatment

Electronic sensors in the glove are linked to computer software that runs through a series of 3D animated hand movements. The patient then follows the virtual hand through various assisted exercises.

Carlo Seneci, president of developers Idrogenet, told Mail Online: ‘This is different from a “robot” simply moving a patient’s fingers.

‘A patient can follow the movement of his hand in real-time and try to replicate the movement.

‘This is a key factor for patients affected by strokes or spinal injuries. They almost need to rehabilitate the brain more than they do the hand.’…

more –> Machine-operated: The robotic glove that exercises an injured hand | Daily Mail Online.