Developing Robot-Assisted Telerehabilitation System

Research Objectives: The aim is to develop a novel telerehabilitation system to deliver robot-assisted rehabilitation using IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) PTC ThingWorx, and AR (Augmented Reality) Vuforia Studio platforms.

Design: Experimental Study.

Setting: In the BioRobotics Lab.

Participants: Three healthy participants, age: 23–35 years, height: 1.60–1.80 m, weights: 51–110 kg.

Interventions: Remotely administer a wide range of robot-assisted rehab therapy ranging from passive to resistive exercises using either a joystick or AR session.

Main Outcome Measures: We assessed the functionality and usability of the developed Telerehabilitation system configuring human-robot collaborative sessions through the use of IIoT and AR-based user interface which enables the developed telerehabilitation system to provide various robot-assistive rehabilitation exercises.

Results: Results demonstrated the developed robot-assisted telerehabilitation system that can successfully and effectively follow the trajectories as commands passed by the therapist using an IIoT services and AR-based user interface and physical joystick. We conducted experiments on healthy subjects. The therapist monitored trajectories of robotic arm though digital twin on the Vuforia Studio, and feedback is recorded. Experiment results ensure that the robotic arm is used to provide various rehabilitation therapies for upper extremity movements at low latency.

Conclusions: Developed robot-assisted telerehabilitation system is mainly focused to provide individuals with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, including muscle weakness, spasms, and multi-joint coordination problems with remote assistance and evaluation. This system minimizes the distance between rehabilitative patients and therapists. By using this system, patients will regain the ability to lead normal daily lives.

Author(s) Disclosures: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.