RehabNet: A distributed architecture for motor and cognitive neuro-rehabilitation

Abstract

Every year millions of people worldwide suffer from stroke, resulting in motor and/or cognitive disability. As a result, patients experience an increased loss of independence, autonomy and low self-esteem. Evolving to a chronic condition, stroke requires of continuous rehabilitation and therapy. Current ICT approaches, with the use of robotics and Virtual Reality, show some benefits over conventional therapy. However, most of the novel approaches are suitable only for a reduced subset of patients. RehabNet proposes an inclusive approach towards an open and distributed architecture for `in-home' neuro-rehabilitation and monitoring by means of non-invasive ICT. In this paper we present the RehabNet architecture, its design and the implementation of a combined motor-and-cognitive system for post-stroke rehabilitation.