Robotics rehabilitation of the elbow based on surface electromyography signals

Abstract

Physical rehabilitation based on robotic systems has the potential to cover the patient's need of improvement of upper extremity functionalities. In this article, the state of the art of resistant and assistive upper limb exoskeleton robots and their control are thoroughly investigated. Afterward, a single-degree-of-freedom exoskeleton matching the elbowforearm has been advanced to grant a valid rehabilitation therapy for persons with physical disability of upper limb motion. The authors have focused on the control system based on the use of electromyography signals as an input to drive the joint movement and manage the robotics arm. The correlation analysis between surface electromyography signal and the force exerted by the subject was studied in objects' grasping tests with the purpose of validating the methodology. The authors developed an innovative surface electromyography force-based active control that adjusts the force exerted by the device during rehabilitation. The control was validated by an experimental campaign on healthy subjects simulating disease on an arm, with positive results that confirm the proposed solution and that open the way to future researches.

Brain–computer interface and assist-as-needed model for upper limb robotic arm

“…One of the most recent applications of BCI is in the domain of orthoses. [15][16][17] Newer instances of orthoses combine latest advances in control theory and brain activity. Berlin Technical University in cooperation with Korean University created an exoskeleton to maneuver lower limbs.…”

Musculoskeletal Model for Path Generation and Modification of an Ankle Rehabilitation Robot

“…This reduction in forces can even be larger than the reduction in the moment contribution from an impedance controller. It is important to mention here that our approach does not require the use of biosensors, which increases complexity in terms of data acquisition and subsequent signal processing [32][33][34][35]. However, there is one shortcoming of path modification that was determined from experimentation using this control module.…”

“…However, the model fails to modify the path in real time based on an individual patient's injury and reduced capabilities. Other works related to the use of biosensors in musculoskeletal modeling [33][34][35] are worth mentioning here for the entirety of the discussion. However, the use of biosensors and their data acquisition have many challenges, which further adds to the complexity of musculoskeletal modeling [36].…”

Special Collection on advances in rehabilitation engineering with robotics and mechatronic devices

“…The paper titled ''Robotics rehabilitation of the elbow based on surface electromyography signals'' 13 proposes a control system based on the use of electromyography signals to drive the joint movement of the robotics arm in rehabilitation. The correlation between surface electromyography signal and the force exerted by the subject is studied in grasping tests.…”