Development of a Novel Robotic Rehabilitation System Using Electrical Stimulation for Upper Limb Motor Recovery

Abstract

To improve the quality of life for people with neurological disorders or accidents, it is important to create therapy tools for upper limb movement recovery that work and are easy for everyone to use. This study suggests a new artificial therapy device that uses electrical stimulation to help people recover their upper limb movement skills. The technology uses both artificial help and electrical treatment at the same time to help the brain change and learn new skills. The robotic therapy system is made up of a suit that moves with the upper limbs and supports them mechanically. It has sensors that can figure out what the user wants and change the amount of help based on that. In addition, the system has electrical activation probes that are put to target specific muscles or groups of muscles that help move the upper limbs. A closed-loop control system makes the system work. The user's moves are constantly tracked, and the robotic help and electrical stimulation are changed in real time. This flexible method lets recovery plans be made just for each person, based on their wants and results. A pilot study with people who have trouble moving their upper limbs was used to test how well the planned method would work. When the method was used for six weeks, the data showed big gains in motor function, muscle strength, and range of motion. Participants were also very happy with how easy the method was to use and how well it helped them improve their movement skills.