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Design and validation of the RiceWrist-S exoskeleton for robotic rehabilitation after incomplete spinal cord injury

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 June 2014

Ali Utku Pehlivan ,
Fabrizio Sergi ,
Andrew Erwin ,
Nuray Yozbatiran ,
Gerard E. Francisco  and
Marcia K. O'Malley
Ali Utku Pehlivan*
Affiliation:
Mechatronics and Haptic Interfaces Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
Fabrizio Sergi
Affiliation:
Mechatronics and Haptic Interfaces Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005 Department of PM & R, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
Andrew Erwin
Affiliation:
Mechatronics and Haptic Interfaces Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
Nuray Yozbatiran
Affiliation:
Department of PM & R and UTHealth Motor Recovery Lab, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX 77030
Gerard E. Francisco
Affiliation:
Department of PM & R and UTHealth Motor Recovery Lab, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX 77030
Marcia K. O'Malley
Affiliation:
Mechatronics and Haptic Interfaces Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: aup1@rice.edu
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Summary

Robotic devices are well-suited to provide high intensity upper limb therapy in order to induce plasticity and facilitate recovery from brain and spinal cord injury. In order to realise gains in functional independence, devices that target the distal joints of the arm are necessary. Further, the robotic device must exhibit key dynamic properties that enable both high dynamic transparency for assessment, and implementation of novel interaction control modes that significantly engage the participant. In this paper, we present the kinematic design, dynamical characterization, and clinical validation of the RiceWrist-S, a serial robotic mechanism that facilitates rehabilitation of the forearm in pronation-supination, and of the wrist in flexion-extension and radial-ulnar deviation. The RiceWrist-Grip, a grip force sensing handle, is shown to provide grip force measurements that correlate well with those acquired from a hand dynamometer. Clinical validation via a single case study of incomplete spinal cord injury rehabilitation for an individual with injury at the C3-5 level showed moderate gains in clinical outcome measures. Robotic measures of movement smoothness also captured gains, supporting our hypothesis that intensive upper limb rehabilitation with the RiceWrist-S would show beneficial outcomes.

Keywords

Robot dynamicsExoskeletonsRobotic rehabilitationHuman-robot interaction
Type
Articles
Information
Robotica , Volume 32 , Issue 8: Rehabilitation Robotics and Human-Robot Interaction , December 2014 , pp. 1415 - 1431
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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