Case Study: Lower-cost Stroke Rehabilitation
Overview
Dr. Van der Loos and his team in the CARIS Lab are creating novel rehabilitation methods for stroke and cerebral palsy using social media frameworks and low-cost robotic devices. Their unique rehabilitation exercises have yielded 90% patient satisfaction.
Individuals rendered hemiparetic (paralyzed on their entire left or right side) through stroke and cerebral palsy often struggle with the recovery process. While the recovery of about half of upper limb function can be spontaneous, the rest relies on intensive and repetitive therapy over a long period of time. Current treatment options are difficult and frustrating for the individual. Recovery requires exceptional dedication, motivation, and significant funding.
Funding
This project is funded by NSERC and the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies.
Solution
The FEATHERS (Functional Engagement in Assisted Therapy Through Exercise Robotics) project, led by Dr. Mike Van der Loos, simplifies rehabilitation through improved patient motivation and optimal recovery. Using social media frameworks and low-cost robotic devices, the FEATHERS project creates a bimanual training program that utilizes:
- Social media
- Online games
- On-line performance sharing
Based on human psychology, those three aspects are found to create a significantly more motivating method of treatment.
As a home-based therapy, this type of treatment appeals to a broad spectrum of ages. The low cost and highly engaging practice ultimately allows for a more efficient path to recovery.
Results
Initial tests have been highly successful. The experimental group are willing to continue training sessions 4 times longer than those in standard sessions.
Future work will involve developing more complex systems and observing the long-term effects of the training.
The Labs: CARIS and RREACH Lab
The Collaborative Advanced Robotics and Intelligent Systems (CARIS) lab offers premium facilities and connections with industries and hospitals across Canada.
Its research focuses on cooperative robotics in:
- Industrial applications
- Assistive applications: workplace, home and healthcare environments
The CARIS Lab offers state-of-the-art facilities such as:
- One Willow Garage PR2 (the only one in Canada)
- Two Barrett WAM™ 7DOF robot arms and grippers
- A unique robotic virtual reality environment to study human balance
- Many other advanced sensing devices
The lab’s vision is to perform research that brings safe, friendly and helpful robotic assistance.
The Robotics for Rehabilitation, Exercise and Assessment in Collaborative Healthcare (RREACH) lab is the part of the CARIS lab that focuses specifically on biomedical engineering projects involving upper limb therapy for persons with neurological impairment.
The RREACH lab features state-of-the-art robotics and motion capture devices. The lab has expertise in investigating different ways of designing exercise regimens to create more engaging, context-relevant, and effective user experiences.