Patent based analysis of innovative rehabilitation technologies

Many factors point to the strategic role that can be played by technology information. Across a variety of institutions and fields of research, an increased sense of urgency to acquire useful knowledge has emerged. Patent information and relative analysis represent a wealth of information suitable to identify the state of the art of developments in specific technological fields. In this paper, a specific case study related to robotic and virtual systems for rehabilitation is analyzed and discussed. Data obtained from a patents database have been analyzed in order to better understand the interest and the evolution which characterize this specific sector, identifying applications and technologies.