Technologies for the Rehabilitation of People Affected with CVM: A State-of-the-Art Report

The disorders that occur due to blockage or rupture of the blood vessels inside the brain are commonly termed as cerebrovascular malfunction (CVM). It is a menace for the middle-aged people worldwide, and one-third of deaths are caused due to CVM. After initial medication, rehabilitation is essential to return to the self-independence. Although rehabilitation starts at the hospital, but it needs to be continued at the home properly. Due to the lack of sufficient numbers of trained health professionals, proper rehabilitation of the affected persons becomes difficult, leading to slow recovery. Besides, this also creates burden to the family members who, on the other hand, often take the responsibility for caregiving. Implementation of technologies for the purpose of rehabilitation and general living assistance are becoming popular day by day. Several sensors and sometimes actuators, processors or controllers are the key components of these technologies. Apart from these, very simple mechanical mechanisms are used to provide support to the affected limbs or capabilities. Most of the times, data are acquired and processed at a local level. The present chapter reviews such available technologies for rehabilitation and assistance for CVM-affected persons.