Robot-Aided Wrist Rehabilitation After Stroke

Figure 1: Wrist Robot Degrees of Freedom and Game.

The goal of this research is to extend robotic therapy to wrist rotations using a novel, 3-degree-of-freedom robotic therapy device for the wrist. This robot is capable of tracking, guiding, and perturbing a person’s wrist rotations while he/she performs a set of virtual tasks. The first stage of this project consists of establishing a quantitative foundation of wrist motion in unimpaired subjects by examining stereotypical kinematic patterns, coordinative strategies, and the effect of random disturbances. With this foundation, we will test whether (and how) a program of robotic wrist rotation training benefits stroke victims.

References

Charles SK, Krebs HI, Volpe BT, Lynch D, Hogan N, "Wrist Rehabilitation Following Stroke: Initial Clinical Results" International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics, June 2005 (in press)

Hoffman, D. S. and P. L. Strick (1986). "Step-tracking movements of the wrist in humans. I. Kinematic Analysis." J Neurosci 6: 3309-3318.

Hoffman, D. S. and P. L. Strick (1990). "Step-Tracking Movements of the Wrist in Humans. II. EMG Analysis." The Journal of Neuroscience 10(1): 142-152.

Hoffman, D. S. and P. L. Strick (1993). "Step-tracking movements of the wrist in humans. III. Influence of changes in load on patterns of muscle activity." J Neurosci 13: 5212-5227.

Hoffman, D. S. and P. L. Strick (1999). "Step-tracking movements of the wrist. IV. Muscle activity associated with movements in different directions." J Neurophysiol 81: 319-333.

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