Low-cost assistive robot for mirror therapy rehabilitation

Abstract

This paper presents a low-cost assistive-robotic device that can facilitate rehabilitative therapy for stroke victims. Specifically, the device is designed for a 1-degree-of-freedom mirror therapy technique. First, the electromechanical design of the device is described in detail, followed by a description of the implemented control system. Finally, to understand the limitations of the device, a human-in-the-loop analysis is performed. Testing with an able bodied user showed a 1.25 Hz bandwidth for the closed loop system, and a 1.0 Hz bandwidth for the human internal system. Consequently, the device has sufficient bandwidth to track typical human movement.