Applications of Robotics to Assessment and Physical Therapy of Upper Limbs of Stroke Patients

Abstract

Stroke is the primary cause of disability and the second leading cause of death in many countries, including Taiwan. Although the mortality rate of stroke has declined, the incidence and prevalence of stroke continue to rise. The goal of rehabilitation is to help stroke patients to achieve as much functional independence as possible and to maintain quality of life. Rehabilitation has an important role in reducing the burden of long-term stroke care on society. By definition, stroke is a non-traumatic brain injury, caused by occlusion or rupture of cerebral blood vessels, and manifests as sudden appearance of neurological deficits characterized by loss of motor control, altered sensation, cognition or language impairment and disequilibrium. Intracranial hemorrhage accounts for about 10-15% of all strokes, and the remaining 80-85% is caused by infarction. Disability in stroke affects physical, cognitive and psychological functions in variable severity. No two strokes are identical and no two patients respond to treatments identically. Therefore, the therapeutic approach requires assessment of every individual patient and demands specialized professional knowledge, skills and creativity. Hemiplegia or hemiparesis caused