A robotic platform for customized and interactive rehabilitation of persons with disabilities

Abstract

In this work, we have developed a multisensor system for rehabilitation and interaction with persons with motor and cognitive disabilities. The system enables them to perform different therapies using multiple modes of interaction (head and body pose, hand gestures, voice, touch and gaze) depending on the type and degree of disability. Through a training process, the system can be customized enabling the definition of patients' own gestures for each sensor. The system is integrated with a range of applications for rehabilitation. Examples of these applications are puzzle solving, mazes and text writing using predictive text tools. The system also provides a flexible and modular framework for the development of new applications oriented towards novel rehabilitation therapies. The proposed system has been integrated in a mobile robotic platform and uses low-cost sensors allowing to perform non-intrusive rehabilitation therapies at home. Videos showing the proposed system and users interacting in different ways (multimodal) are available on our project website www.rovit.ua.es/patente/.

A Hand Motor Skills Rehabilitation for the Injured Implemented on a Social Robot

“…Recent works have focused on at-home rehabilitation exercises in order to provide these tools outside of a clinic environment. In [42], the authors developed a multisensor system for rehabilitation and interaction with people with motor and cognitive disabilities. In the case of [43], PHAROS was proposed, an interactive robot system that recommends and monitors physical exercises at home, designed for the rehabilitation of chronic diseases.…”

Rehabilitation Technology: Assistance from Hospital to Home

“…The need of combined therapies led Gomez-Donoso et al [37] to develop a robotic multisensor platform for motor and cognitive rehabilitation. So, with the use of 3D sensors, colour cameras, microphones, eye tracker, and a tactile interface, an interactive interaction provides the patient with a tool for performing rehabilitation tasks such as memory and brain games, physical activities, or other therapy programs.…”

Vision for Robust Robot Manipulation

“…Advances in Robotics are leading to a new generation of assistant robots working in ordinary domestic settings, such as healthcare and rehabilitation [1,2], agriculture [3], emergency situations [4,5], or guidance assistance [6]. In this context, the ability to autonomously manipulate objects is of critical importance.…”