A NOVEL SELF-ASSISTED REHABILITATION SYSTEM FOR THE UPPER LIMBS BASED ON VIRTUAL REALITY

Abstract

We propose a novel self-assisted rehabilitation system for the upper limbs of stroke patients. The system mainly includes two haptic devices (PHANTOM Omni), an advanced inertial sensor (MTx) and a computer. The inertial sensor is used to get the real-time orientation of one of the manipulator's hands, and the haptic devices are used to get the real-time positions of the manipulator's two hands and generate the appropriate forces that act on the two hands. We have built a virtual force model to get the accurate magnitude and orientation of the forces. With the change of the position and orientation of the manipulator's hands, the magnitude and orientation of the forces will change accordingly. The manipulator operates the styluses of the two haptic devices to control the position and orientation of the virtual object m, so that it can track the virtual object m′, which moves and rotates randomly in 4 degree-of-freedoms (DOF). It is expected to improve the agility and strength of manipulator's hands in this way. Furthermore, one hand can be used to assist the other one in the rehabilitation, so the self-assistance character is included in the system. The advantages of high safety, compaction and self-assistance will make the system suitable for home rehabilitation.