Title:Application of Robot to Hand Function Rehabilitation
VOLUME: 11 ISSUE: 1
Author(s):Jingang Jiang*, Zhaowei Min, Xuefeng Ma, Yongde Zhang and Shichang Song
Affiliation:Robotics & ITS Engineering Research Center, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin 150080, Robotics & ITS Engineering Research Center, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin 150080, Robotics & ITS Engineering Research Center, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin 150080, Robotics & ITS Engineering Research Center, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin 150080, School of Foreign Languages, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin 150080
Keywords:Bionic principle, drive type, hand function rehabilitation robot, hand rehabilitation training, motor, pneumatic artificial
muscle, pneumatic cylinder, shape memory alloy.
Abstract:Background: Hand is one of the most important and common parts of the body. Hand dysfunction
caused by hemiplegia and hand injury is difficult to restore, which leads to high disability
rates. The patients' daily life and work ability are seriously affected. With the aging of the society, the
number of stroke patients with hemiplegia is gradually increasing. The research and application of the
robot with the combination of robot and assistive rehabilitation therapy have come into being. Hand
function rehabilitation robot has more practical value. It can simulate the human hand’s movements to
realize the rehabilitation training of human hands.
Objective: To give a general summary of recent hand function rehabilitation robot, and a presentation
of their respective characteristics including drive type and rehabilitation training mode.
Methods: This paper summarizes various patents and research developments about hand function rehabilitation
robot. From the aspects of structural characteristics, drive type and rehabilitation training
mode and applications situation, the advantages and disadvantages of the typical hand function rehabilitation
robots are represented.
Results: Current and future development trends on the structural characteristics, drive type and rehabilitation
training mode and applications situation of hand function rehabilitation robots are discussed to
improve the humanization, marketization, modularization and intelligence of the hand function rehabilitation
robot.
Conclusion: Considerable attention has been paid onto the hand function rehabilitation robot. Hand
function rehabilitation robot can effectively improve the hand function of patients' and the elderly's the
actual quality of life and family well-being. Further improvements are needed in the aspects of hand
biomechanics, neurophysiology, rehabilitation training mode, actuators and sensors, physical manmachine
interaction and ergonomics of the hand function rehabilitation robot. More patents on hand
function rehabilitation robot should be invented.
