iRebot: An Interactive Rehabilitation Robot with Gesture Control.

Physical therapy efficacy relies on patient compliance and motivation. However, the monotony, intensity, and expense of most therapy routines do not promote engagement. Technology-based rehabilitation has the potential to provide engaging and cost-effective treatment, leading to better compliance and mobility outcomes. We present an interactive rehabilitation robot (iRebot) as an affordable, gesture-controlled vehicle that can provide a form of entertainment while conducting physical therapy. Healthy participants (n=11) executed a test maze with the iRebot for six repeated trials, three with each hand. Survey scores and quantitative metrics were evaluated to assess system usability and baseline motor performance, respectively. Wrist mobility across participants was evaluated, with an active range of motion of 39.7± 13° and 72.8± 18° for pitch and roll, respectively. In the course of conducting a single trial (time duration=87.2±67 sec), the participants performed on average 30 full wris t motion repetitions (e.g., flexion/extension). Participants rated the system's usability as excellent (survey score: 85 ± 13), and all participants indicated they would prefer iRebot over standard therapy. The iRebot demonstrated potential as an evidence-based rehabilitation tool based on excellent user ratings and the ability to monitor at- home compliance and motor performance.

A Gesture-Controlled Rehabilitation Robot to Improve Engagement and Quantify Movement Performance.

Rehabilitation requires repetitive and coordinated movements for effective treatment, which are contingent on patient compliance and motivation. However, the monotony, intensity, and expense of most therapy routines do not promote engagement. Gesture-controlled rehabilitation has the potential to quantify performance and provide engaging, cost-effective treatment, leading to better compliance and mobility. We present the design and testing of a gesture-controlled rehabilitation robot (GC-Rebot) to assess its potential for monitoring user performance and providing entertainment while conducting physical therapy. Healthy participants (n = 11) completed a maze with GC-Rebot for six trials. User performance was evaluated through quantitative metrics of movement quality and quantity, and participants rated the system usability with a validated survey. For participants with self-reported video-game experience (n = 10), wrist active range of motion across trials (mean ± standard deviation) was 41.6 ± 13° and 76.8 ± 16° for pitch and roll, respectively. In the course of conducting a single trial with a time duration of 68.3 ± 19 s, these participants performed 27 ± 8 full wrist motion repetitions (i.e., flexion/extension), with a dose-rate of 24.2 ± 5 reps/min. These participants also rated system usability as excellent (score: 86.3 ± 12). Gesture-controlled therapy using the GC-Rebot demonstrated the potential to be an evidence-based rehabilitation tool based on excellent user ratings and the ability to monitor at-home compliance and performance.