Robot-Assisted Therapy (RT) is an innovative approach to neurological rehabilitation that uses intensive, repetitive, interactive, and individualized practice. This systematic review aimed to investigate the effectiveness of RT on the body function and structure of people with upper limb impairments (PROSPERO registration: CRD42017054982). A search strategy conducted on seven databases identified randomized controlled studies. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. When possible, the data were pooled, the strength of evidence was assessed using the GRADE system, and the effect sizes were assessed using Cohen coefficient. Subgroup analyses investigated the impact on the estimated effects of the following parameters: methodological quality; portion of the assessed upper limb; duration of stroke; and intervention dose and duration. Thirty-eight studies involving 1174 participants were included. Pooled estimates revealed small effects of RT on motor control and medium effects on strength compared with other intervention (OI) at a short-term follow-up. Standardized differences in means were as follows: 0.3 (95% CI 0.1 to 0.4) and 0.5 (95% CI 0.2 to 0.8). Effects at other time points and on other investigated outcomes related to body function and structure were not found (p>0.05). The strength of the current evidence was usually low quality. Subgroup analyses suggested that the methodological quality, and duration and dose of RT may influence the estimated effects. In conclusion, RT has small effects on motor control and medium effects on strength in people with limited upper limb function. Poor methodological quality, and lower treatment dose and duration may impact negatively the estimated effects.
Despite advances in assistive technology, existing prosthetic knees still have some limitations, such as weight, low active and braking torque, and high energy consumption. This paper presents an active magnetorheological knee (AMRK) actuator developed for transfemoral prostheses. The system consists of a motor unit comprising an EC motor, harmonic drive and magnetorheological (MR) clutch. The motor unit provides active motion, working in parallel with an MR brake. With this configuration, the AMRK possesses multiple functions; it can work as a motor, clutch, or brake, reproducing movements similar to those of a healthy knee in different activities. All components of the prosthetic knee are protected to avoid risk of accidents and to provide an aesthetically appropriate structure. To reduce weight, energy consumption and volume, the MR clutch/brake geometric design was optimized using a particle swarm optimization algorithm. A prototype was fabricated and tested to evaluate the AMRK performance. Dynamic models of the MR clutch, MR brake and motor unit were analysed, and torque control was implemented. The results show that the AMRK is promising for the proposed applications, which require multiple functions with compact size, low weight, low energy consumption, high active and braking torque, and quick response time.
This study analyses the energy consumption of an active magnetorheological knee (AMRK) actuator that was designed for transfemoral prostheses. The system was developed as an operational motor unit (MU), which consists of an EC motor, a harmonic drive and a magnetorheological (MR) clutch, that operates in parallel with an MR brake. The dynamic models of the MR brake and MU were used to simulate the system’s energetic expenditure during over-ground walking under three different working conditions: using the complete AMRK; using just its motor-reducer, to operate as a common active knee prosthesis (CAKP), and using just the MR brake, to operate as a common semi-active knee prosthesis (CSAKP). The results are used to compare the MR devices power consumptions with that of the motor-reducer. As previously hypothesized, to use the MR brake in the swing phase is more energetically efficient than using the motor-reducer to drive the joint. Even if using the motor-reducer in regenerative braking mode during the stance phase, the differences in power consumption among the systems are remarkable. The AMRK expended 16.3 J during a gait cycle, which was 1.6 times less than the energy expenditure of the CAKP (26.6 J), whereas the CSAKP required just 6.0 J.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.