Assistive Robotics: Robotic Trajectory Planning for Upper Extremity Rehabilitation in Patients with Hemiparesis

Abstract

Rehabilitation of upper limb movements in patients with hemiparesis has been a longstanding struggle for physical therapy professionals. Tools such as robotically assisted therapies have shown great potential to assist in the rehabilitation process of patients. Regarding traditional rehabilitation interventions, robotic systems can provide more effective and intensive physical therapy as new interventions are now being used to assist in the rehabilitation of patients with certain movement restrictions especially after stroke. Currently, this research work aims to present a study on the trajectory planning of a robotic arm, which will be suggested to the patient in order to perform the movement for rehabilitation. Furthermore, it is intended that the trajectory can be generated in real time to better meet the patient’s movement requirements and restrictions. In view of the need for real-time trajectory generation, it is necessary that a simple model of the manipulator work area is used as a boundary and boundary condition for the task space. In parallel, there is the development of a prototype of the REHABOT robot, a mechanical project developed with components from the Cyton Gamma 1500 and Reachy robots.