From Single to Dual Robotic Therapy: A Review of the Development Process of iPAM

Stroke is a common condition in the UK with over 30,000 people per annum are left with significant disability. When severe arm paresis is occurs, functional recovery of the affected arm is often poor. This can have a major impact on physical independence. A contributing factor to the poor recovery relates to lack of intensity of appropriate arm exercise practice. Through the use of robotic technology it may be possible to augment the physical therapist´s efforts and maximize the impact of the limited physical therapy resource. At Leeds University a prototype single robot system has been developed that is capable of moving a patient´s arm through a set of movements prescribed by a physiotherapist. This system is robust to changes in the biomechanical and physiological properties through a large range of patients. Further development of the system has led to a dual robot system that provides a greater level of control over upper-arm joint co-ordination while offering additional support to the shoulder complex. In order to test the systems safely, two models of the human arm have been produced: 1) a 6 degree of freedom computational model simulating how the robot system could provide therapy to a patient. 2) A mechanical model (Derryck), representing the biomechanical properties of the shoulder and elbow. The prototype single robot system is shown to be capable of administering trajectory following (for Derryck) for a large range of arm parameters