Abstract
Traditional physiotherapy rehabilitation systems are evolving into more advanced systems based on exoskeleton systems and Virtual Reality (VR) environments that enhance and improve rehabilitation techniques and physical exercise. In addition, due to current connected systems and paradigms such as the Internet of Things (IoT) or Ambient Intelligent (AmI) systems, it is possible to design and develop advanced, effective, and low-cost medical tools that patients may have in their homes. This article presents a low-cost exoskeleton for the elbow that is connected to a Context-Aware architecture and thanks to a VR system the patient can perform rehabilitation exercises in an interactive way. The integration of virtual reality technology in rehabilitation exercises provides an intensive, repetitive and task-oriented capacity to improve patient motivation and reduce work on medical professionals. One of the system highlights is the intelligent ability to generate new exercises, monitor the exercises performed by users in search of progress or possible problems and the dynamic modification of the exercises characteristics. The platform also allows the incorporation of commercial medical sensors capable of collecting valuable information for greater accuracy in the diagnosis and evolution of patients. A case study with real patients with promising results has been carried out.
Highlights
There are more than 890 million people with chronic diseases worldwide [1]
In Europe, there is a large group of people suffering from some type of chronic diseases, such as diabetes or cardiovascular diseases
It is possible to find articles that address the use of robotic exoskeleton systems for the recovery of patients with mobility problems
Summary
There are more than 890 million people with chronic diseases worldwide [1]. In the works that address the recovery of the joints in the upper extremities, there are different projects that seek to provide significant progress [16] These works combine, like this article, the use of a robotic exoskeleton, with virtual reality technology and environments that allow patients to develop the exercises in a more dynamic and interactive way. In the work [17], the authors present a study based on the generation of virtual reality-based interfaces for the rehabilitation of arms and hands, in which the use of optoelectronic sensors such as Leap Motion, Microsoft Kinect and Oculus VR is necessary These devices are capable of capturing user movements and translating them into digital environments that motivate the user to participate in dynamic rehabilitation sessions. In the case of the studies [18,19], the authors focus their work on the treatment of hand-related problems
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