Abstract
Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and the primary cause of acquired disability worldwide. Many stroke survivors have difficulty using their upper limbs, which have important functional roles in the performance of daily life activities. Consequently, the independence and quality of life of most stroke patients are reduced. Robot-assisted therapy is an effective intervention for improving the upper limb function of individuals with stroke. Human-robot collaborative interaction force control technology is critical for improving the flexibility and followability of the robot's motion, thereby improving rehabilitation training outcomes. However, there are few reports on the effect of robot-assisted rehabilitative training on upper limb function. We applied this technology using a robot to assist patients with task-oriented training. Posttreatment changes in Fugl-Meyer and modified Barthel index (MBI) scores were assessed to determine whether this technology could improve the upper limb function of stroke patients. One healthy adult and five stroke patients, respectively, participated in functional and clinical experiments. The MBI and Fugl-Meyer scores of the five patients in the clinical experiments showed significant improvements after the intervention. The experimental results indicate that human-robot collaborative interaction force control technology is valuable for improving robots' properties and patients' recovery. This trial was registered in the Chinese clinical trial registry (ChiCTR2000038676).
Highlights
Stroke is a common cerebrovascular disease that is diagnosed on the basis of clinical features and imaging [1]
The experimental results indicate that human-robot collaborative interaction force control technology is valuable for improving robots’ properties and patients’ recovery
The objective of the functional experiments was to test the robot-assisted rehabilitation system after incorporating the human-robot collaborative interaction force control technology (HRCIFCT) to assess whether it elicited subjective feelings of comfort in the subject and Patient code Age Sex Type of stroke Days since stroke Impaired limb Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) Fugl-Meyer shoulder and elbow coordination (SEC) modified Barthel index (MBI)
Summary
Stroke is a common cerebrovascular disease that is diagnosed on the basis of clinical features and imaging [1]. Most strokes result from transient ischemic attacks associated with blockages of blood flow [2], while about 10–40% of strokes are attributed to intracerebral hemorrhage [3] caused by the rupture of cerebral arteries. Stroke remains the leading cause of death and disability in China despite substantial advances relating to its prevention and treatment [4]. More than 80% of stroke patients develop acute motor dysfunction, and almost 50% of patients eventually develop long-term motor function limitations [5]. Persistent UL sensorimotor impairments occur in up to 75% of stroke patients [6] and include paresis, ataxia, spasticity, a reduced range of motion spasticity, and poor spatiotemporal coordination, which significantly affect the quality of life of patients with stroke. Targeting UL function is a core element of rehabilitation to optimize patient outcomes and reduce disability [7]
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