Development of digitized apparatus for upper limb rehabilitation training

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Hwang, Y.-S.^a | Chen, S.-C.^{b; h} | Chen, C.-C.^c | Chen, W.-L.^d | Shih, Y.-Y.^e | Chen, Y.-L.^{f; g; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Electronic Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan | [b] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan | [c] Department of Management Information System, Hwa Hsia Institute of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan | [d] Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang Gung University, Kwei-Shan Tao-Yuan, Taiwan | [e] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Tao-Yuan Chang Gung University, Kwei-Shan Tao-Yuan, Taiwan | [f] Department of Computer Science, National Taipei University of Education, Taipei, Taiwan | [g] Department of Information Management, St. Mary's Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Yilan, Taiwan | [h] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Y.-L. Chen, No. 134, Sec. 2, Heping E. Rd., Da-an District, Taipei City 106, Taiwan. Tel.: +886 2 2732 1104; Fax: +886 2 6639 6688; E-mail: allen@tea.ntue.edu.tw.

Abstract: Background:People use upper limbs to conduct daily activities. When recovering from injuries, many patients neglect the importance of rehabilitation, which results in degraded function. Objective:Rehabilitation after treatment of an injury is very important. This study proposes to improve and enhance the effectiveness of rehabilitation practice. Methods:A patient record of the training process using the traditional rehabilitation hand gliding cart is produced by using a magnetic sensing element in the panel, a servo host computer, and other devices. Results:Clinical evidence shows that the training aids help significantly with the rehabilitation of patients with impaired upper limb function and reduce negative impacts from the disability in daily life and activities. Conclusions:This study has combined the gliding cart with reed switches, such that when the patient moves the cart, the movement tracks can be observed via the activated reed switches. The training data are collected and quantified for a better understanding of the recovery status of the patients. Each of the participating patients makes progress as expected.

Keywords: Rehabilitation, upper limb, magnetic sensor, gliding cart, reed switches

DOI: 10.3233/THC-130760

Journal: Technology and Health Care, vol. 21, no. 6, pp. 571-579, 2013