Soft, lightweight wearable robots to support the upper limb in activities of daily living

• Verfasst von: Noronha, Bernado [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Ng, Chwee Yin [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Little, Kieran [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Xiloyannis, Michele [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Kuah, Christopher Wee Keong [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Wee, Seng Kwee [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Kulkarni, Suhas Raghavendra [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Masia, Lorenzo [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Chua, Karen Sui Geok [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Accoto, Dino [VerfasserIn]
• Titel: Soft, lightweight wearable robots to support the upper limb in activities of daily living
• Titelzusatz: a feasibility study on chronic stroke patients
• Verf.angabe: Bernardo Noronha, student member, IEEE, Chwee Yin Ng, Kieran Little, Michele Xiloyannis, member, IEEE, Christopher Wee Keong Kuah, Seng Kwee Wee, Suhas Raghavendra Kulkarni, graduate student member, IEEE, Lorenzo Masia, member, IEEE, Karen Sui Geok Chua, and Dino Accoto, member, IEEE
• E-Jahr: 2022
• Jahr: May 16, 2022
• Umfang: 11 S.
• Fussnoten: Gesehen am 06.07.2022
• Titel Quelle: Enthalten in: Institute of Electrical and Electronics EngineersIEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering
• Ort Quelle: New York, NY : IEEE, 1993
• Jahr Quelle: 2022
• Band/Heft Quelle: 30(2022), Seite 1401-1411
• ISSN Quelle: 1558-0210
• DOI: doi:10.1109/TNSRE.2022.3175224
• Datenträger: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: eng
• Sach-SW: assistive robots
• Sach-SW: DC motors
• Sach-SW: Elbow
• Sach-SW: Exoskeletons
• Sach-SW: muscle synergies
• Sach-SW: rehabilitation
• Sach-SW: stroke
• Sach-SW: Stroke (medical condition)
• Sach-SW: Tendons
• Sach-SW: Thumb
• Sach-SW: Wearable robotics
• Sach-SW: Wearable robots
• K10plus-PPN: 1809332613

Abstract

Stroke can be a devastating condition that impairs the upper limb and reduces mobility. Wearable robots can aid impaired users by supporting performance of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). In the past decade, soft devices have become popular due to their inherent malleable and low-weight properties that makes them generally safer and more ergonomic. In this study, we present an improved version of our previously developed gravity-compensating upper limb exosuit and introduce a novel hand exoskeleton. The latter uses 3D-printed structures that are attached to the back of the fingers which prevent undesired hyperextension of joints. We explored the feasibility of using this integrated system in a sample of 10 chronic stroke patients who performed 10 ADLs. We observed a significant reduction of 30.3 ± 3.5% (mean ± standard error), 31.2 ± 3.2% and 14.0 ± 5.1% in the mean muscular activity of the Biceps Brachii (BB), Anterior Deltoid (AD) and Extensor Digitorum Communis muscles, respectively. Additionally, we observed a reduction of 14.0 ± 11.5%, 14.7 ± 6.9% and 12.8 ± 4.4% in the coactivation of the pairs of muscles BB and Triceps Brachii (TB), BB and AD, and TB and Pectoralis Major (PM), respectively, typically associated to pathological muscular synergies, without significant degradation of healthy muscular coactivation. There was also a significant increase of elbow flexion angle (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$12.1\pm 1.5^\circ $ </tex-math></inline-formula>). These results further cement the potential of using lightweight wearable devices to assist impaired users.