Comparison of a Mechanical and Biomechanical System Applied in the Human Wrist Rehabilitation Using a Cable-Based System

In this paper a cable-based system is presented for rehabilitation of the wrist movements. The proposed structure consists of one or two cables that allow the movement of abduction-adduction and flexion-extension with different limits of movement and speed. The development of this robotic device is justified by the large number of people with upper limb problems. It starts with a study of the basic movements of wrist joint and the structures actually in use. After, this paper presents a comparison between a mechanical and biomechanical system. The objective of this study is to evaluate the difference between these two models that are applied in a parallel robotic structure actuated by cables for rehabilitation of the human hand. Thus, this paper presents the results of theoretical and experimental forces for the biomechanical and mechanical system. Finally, an analysis concerning the difference between the systems is done.