Development of a Novel Robotic Rehabilitation System With Muscle-to-Muscle Interface

In this study, we developed a novel robotic system with a muscle-to-muscle interface to enhance rehabilitation of post-stroke patients. The developed robotic rehabilitation system was designed to provide patients with stage appropriate physical rehabilitation exercise and muscular stimulation. Unlike the position-based control of conventional bimanual robotic therapies, the developed system stimulates the activities of the target muscles, as well as the joint movements of the paretic limb. The robot-assisted motion and the electrical stimulation on the muscles of the paretic side are controlled by on-line comparison of the motion and the muscle activities between the paretic and unaffected sides. With the developed system, the rehabilitation exercise can be customized and modulated depending on the patient’s stage of motor recovery after stroke. The system can be operated in three different modes allowing both passive and active exercises. The effectiveness of the developed system was verified with healthy human subjects, where the subjects were paired to serve as the unaffected side and the paretic side of a hemiplegic patient.