Application Issues for Robotics

This chapter covers the various aspects related to the application of rehabilitation robots. The starting point for developing any novel therapeutic device should be the specific requirements of the users. Users in this case are patients with neurological conditions but also therapists. Both claim different requirements, which need to be united. Modern neurorehabilitation is grounded in the premise that activity is beneficial. Robots are valuable tools to apply intensive active training in terms of the number of repetitions and task specificity. The complexity of robotic devices is mainly determined by the residual functions of the patient. In patients with muscular weakness, a simple weight support system might be sufficient, whereas in patients with severe paralysis, actively driven exoskeletons with multiple degrees of freedom are necessary. Robots must comply with general regulatory and safety standards. Robotic devices have to be adjustable to a wide range of anthropometric properties and to the amount and the characteristics of their impairment. The user-friendliness of the robot’s human–machine interface consisting of the mechanical, the control, and the feedback interfaces determines whether a device becomes integrated in the rehabilitation program or not. An inherent advantage of the more complex rehabilitation robots is their ability to use angular and force sensor signals for assessment and documentation. These are important to objectively control the course of the training, to legitimate and shape the training, and to document progresses or deteriorations. In the future, devices which allow the continuation of a robotic therapy at home will further enlarge the range of applications.