Mobile Mechatronic/Robotic Orthotic Devices to Assist–Rehabilitate Neuromotor Impairments in the Upper Limb: A Systematic and Synthetic Review

Abstract

This paper overviews the state-of-the-art in upper limb robot-supported approaches, focusing on advancements in the related mechatronic devices for the patients' rehabilitation and/or assistance. Dedicated to the technical, comprehensively methodological and global effectiveness and improvement in this inter-disciplinary field of research, it includes information beyond the therapy administrated in clinical settings-but with no diminished safety requirements. Our systematic review, based on PRISMA guidelines, searched articles published between January 2001 and November 2017 from the following databases: Cochrane, Medline/PubMed, PMC, Elsevier, PEDro, and ISI Web of Knowledge/Science. Then we have applied a new innovative PEDro-inspired technique to classify the relevant articles. The article focuses on the main indications, current technologies, categories of intervention and outcome assessment modalities. It includes also, in tabular form, the main characteristics of the most relevant mobile (wearable and/or portable) mechatronic/robotic orthoses/exoskeletons prototype devices used to assist-rehabilitate neuromotor impairments in the upper limb.

Artificial Intelligence-Based Wearable Robotic Exoskeletons for Upper Limb Rehabilitation: A Review

“…The role of training with robotic systems oriented to neurorehabilitation is demonstrated by different models of commercial devices developed for this purpose [ 96 , 97 ]. It must be considered that robotic exoskeletons are not only capable of providing highly reproducible, repeatable, and accurate movements, but can also accurately and precisely provide information about the performance of the movements, making these devices usable in the rehabilitation process [ 98 ].…”

The Effectiveness of Wearable Upper Limb Assistive Devices in Degenerative Neuromuscular Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…This is due to several reasons, such as the difficulty to demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach independently from the users' placebo effect (e.g., it is impossible to perform a blind session), the high cost of the technology and therefore the impossibility to recruit many volunteers contemporary, and the Ethical Committee procedures for non CE-marked devices. A recent systematic review on devices to assist and/or rehabilitate upper limbs made a quite large classification of different devices used, showing an intense research work towards the development of new technologies, which however are rarely methodologically properly tested, and therefore they have difficulties to effectively reach end-users (Onose et al, 2018).…”

Fuzzy Logic-Based Risk Assessment of a Parallel Robot for Elbow and Wrist Rehabilitation

“…In order to overcome this difficult situation, robotic structures for post-stroke rehabilitation of upper or lower limb started to be developed, being a suitable aid for the kinetotherapist performing the repetitive rehabilitation motions. In the last decades, a series of robotic structures for medical rehabilitation of the upper limb have been developed and analyzed by Huang [6], Al-Fahaan [7], Vaida [8,9], Carbone [10], Görgülü [11], Husty [12], Berceanu [13], Tarnita [14], Gherman [15], Tucan [16] and furthermore systematically reviewed by Ona [17,18], Baur [19], Onase [20], and Rehmat [21]. Some significant research prototypes are presented below.…”