Development of a 6-DOF Force Display System with High Safety and its Application to Rehabilitation

Abstract

Movements of the upper limbs are indispensable for daily activities. Rehabilitation for upper limbs is important for aged people or patients of paralysis caused by stroke. Because of aging of society, the number of stroke patients will increase more in the near future. In recent years, the needs for rehabilitation support systems are increasing, which use robot technology and virtual reality technology. Applying these technologies make efficient rehabilitation possible. This paper presents the development of a 6-DOF rehabilitation system for upper limbs including wrists. This system ensures efficient rehabilitation trainings which focus on the harmonic movement of the whole upper limb.