A sensor-based virtual piano biofeedback system for stroke rehabilitation

Approximately 15 million people suffer a stroke every year globally. People with stroke usually have less mobility and this may further reduce the fitness level and emotional wellbeing. Traditional stroke rehabilitation therapy is usually performed in a clinic or hospital, which evolves the care from the therapist. Robot-assisted stroke therapy can be done at the patient´s home, but the cost of the systems might be too high for some patients. In this study, we propose a novel sensor-based system for stroke rehabilitation. The system consists of a sensor-based digital glove and software running on a computer with a user interface to a piano. During the rehabilitation treatment, the patient plays the keys of a piano guided by the user interface on the screen. The system may enhance the mobility and flexibility of the affected upper limb and the fingers of stroke patients in an entertaining way. Our experimental results show that the system has a high accuracy of biofeedback.