Design of a Novel Telerehabilitation System with a Force-Sensing Mechanism
Many stroke patients are expected to rehabilitate at home, which limits their access to proper rehabilitation equipment, treatment, or assessment by therapists. We have developed a novel telerehabilitation system that incorporates a human-upper-limb-like device and an exoskeleton device. The system...
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doaj-2bc06252b6e1466fb4f05be8bdfc0ea02020-11-24T23:53:11ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202015-05-01155115111152710.3390/s150511511s150511511Design of a Novel Telerehabilitation System with a Force-Sensing MechanismSongyuan Zhang0Shuxiang Guo1Baofeng Gao2Hideyuki Hirata3Hidenori Ishihara4Graduate School of Engineering, Kagawa University, 2217-20 Hayashi-cho, Takamatsu, Kagawa 761-0396, JapanThe Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering System, School of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Convergence Medical Engineering System and Healthcare Technology, The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, ChinaThe Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering System, School of Life Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Convergence Medical Engineering System and Healthcare Technology, The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, ChinaDepartment of Intelligent Mechanical Systems Engineering, Kagawa University, Kagawa 761-0396, JapanDepartment of Intelligent Mechanical Systems Engineering, Kagawa University, Kagawa 761-0396, JapanMany stroke patients are expected to rehabilitate at home, which limits their access to proper rehabilitation equipment, treatment, or assessment by therapists. We have developed a novel telerehabilitation system that incorporates a human-upper-limb-like device and an exoskeleton device. The system is designed to provide the feeling of real therapist–patient contact via telerehabilitation. We applied the principle of a series elastic actuator to both the master and slave devices. On the master side, the therapist can operate the device in a rehabilitation center. When performing passive training, the master device can detect the therapist’s motion while controlling the deflection of elastic elements to near-zero, and the patient can receive the motion via the exoskeleton device. When performing active training, the design of the force-sensing mechanism in the master device can detect the assisting force added by the therapist. The force-sensing mechanism also allows force detection with an angle sensor. Patients’ safety is guaranteed by monitoring the motor’s current from the exoskeleton device. To compensate for any possible time delay or data loss, a torque-limiter mechanism was also designed in the exoskeleton device for patients’ safety. Finally, we successfully performed a system performance test for passive training with transmission control protocol/internet protocol communication.http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/15/5/11511telerehabilitation systemclosed-loop interaction control strategyseries elastic actuatorforce-sensing mechanisminertia sensorcontact-less angle sensorforce sensor |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Songyuan Zhang Shuxiang Guo Baofeng Gao Hideyuki Hirata Hidenori Ishihara |
spellingShingle |
Songyuan Zhang Shuxiang Guo Baofeng Gao Hideyuki Hirata Hidenori Ishihara Design of a Novel Telerehabilitation System with a Force-Sensing Mechanism Sensors telerehabilitation system closed-loop interaction control strategy series elastic actuator force-sensing mechanism inertia sensor contact-less angle sensor force sensor |
author_facet |
Songyuan Zhang Shuxiang Guo Baofeng Gao Hideyuki Hirata Hidenori Ishihara |
author_sort |
Songyuan Zhang |
title |
Design of a Novel Telerehabilitation System with a Force-Sensing Mechanism |
title_short |
Design of a Novel Telerehabilitation System with a Force-Sensing Mechanism |
title_full |
Design of a Novel Telerehabilitation System with a Force-Sensing Mechanism |
title_fullStr |
Design of a Novel Telerehabilitation System with a Force-Sensing Mechanism |
title_full_unstemmed |
Design of a Novel Telerehabilitation System with a Force-Sensing Mechanism |
title_sort |
design of a novel telerehabilitation system with a force-sensing mechanism |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Sensors |
issn |
1424-8220 |
publishDate |
2015-05-01 |
description |
Many stroke patients are expected to rehabilitate at home, which limits their access to proper rehabilitation equipment, treatment, or assessment by therapists. We have developed a novel telerehabilitation system that incorporates a human-upper-limb-like device and an exoskeleton device. The system is designed to provide the feeling of real therapist–patient contact via telerehabilitation. We applied the principle of a series elastic actuator to both the master and slave devices. On the master side, the therapist can operate the device in a rehabilitation center. When performing passive training, the master device can detect the therapist’s motion while controlling the deflection of elastic elements to near-zero, and the patient can receive the motion via the exoskeleton device. When performing active training, the design of the force-sensing mechanism in the master device can detect the assisting force added by the therapist. The force-sensing mechanism also allows force detection with an angle sensor. Patients’ safety is guaranteed by monitoring the motor’s current from the exoskeleton device. To compensate for any possible time delay or data loss, a torque-limiter mechanism was also designed in the exoskeleton device for patients’ safety. Finally, we successfully performed a system performance test for passive training with transmission control protocol/internet protocol communication. |
topic |
telerehabilitation system closed-loop interaction control strategy series elastic actuator force-sensing mechanism inertia sensor contact-less angle sensor force sensor |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/15/5/11511 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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