A low cost wearable wireless sensing system for upper limb home rehabilitation

Abstract

Monitoring and guiding real time body motion permits corrective measures to be implemented for more effective rehabilitation results. Taking the rehabilitation practice at home can help stroke patients with movement disability to regain the motor skill. Existing systems for rehabilitation is either too costly, or complicated and bulky to be efficiently employed for personal use at home. In this current work, an innovative and unobtrusive wearable system for home use is being proposed. This compact and cost effective system effectively captures human joint angles and does that hinder limb motion as commonly encountered in other existing systems. The paper details the design and implementation of the proposed sensor and sensing methodology. The tested wireless sensor is able to detect the posture and movement of the human arm with particular attention to its application in upper limb rehabilitation. Real time experimental data are collected from a subject using a hand exerciser and compared with a commercial motion capture system. The results demonstrate the feasibility and viability of the proposed sensing system in tracking human arm postures and movement.