This page shows different videos related to the development and execution of the proprioception and lower limb rehabilitation exercises performed in this research project.
Generation and validation of a lower limb proprioception test
This video shows the generation and validation of a lower limb proprioception test. First, the robot and the vision system are calibrated. Then, it shows how the desired exercise can be generated. For this purpose, the medical staff indicates the desired position and orientation for the end of the robot’s mobile platform. This can be achieved very simply and intuitively thanks to the developed position and force control. Finally, the patient executes the exercise so that he/she must position (with eyes closed) the leg in the same location as indicated by the physician.
Test to assess lower limb proprioception
Proprioception Test 1: Final Angle 50º, Passive Exercise
The video demonstrates proprioception tests conducted with patients using passive exercise, where the robot control unit manages the movement of the mobile platform at all times.
The test consists of two phases: in the first phase, the robot positions the patient’s foot so that the knee forms a 50-degree angle, maintaining this position for a few seconds to allow the person to memorize the achieved position.
In the second phase, the robot repeats the trajectory, and the patient must press a button on a remote controller to stop the robot’s movement when they believe they have reached the target position from the first phase.
Each test is repeated three times under the supervision of a physiotherapist, who verifies the test and records the results: the error between the desired reference position and the actual position at which the robot has stopped.
Subsequently, the test is repeated three more times under the supervision of a different physiotherapist.
This video shows the tests performed by several patients for the passive joint position detection exercise with a 50-degree angle.
Proprioception Test 2: Final Angle 30º, passive Exercise
The video demonstrates proprioception tests conducted with patients using passive exercise, where the robot control unit manages the movement of the mobile platform at all times.
The test consists of two phases: in the first phase, the robot positions the patient’s foot so that the knee forms a 30-degree angle, maintaining this position for a few seconds to allow the person to memorize the achieved position.
In the second phase, the robot repeats the trajectory, and the patient must press a button on a remote controller to stop the robot’s movement when they believe they have reached the target position from the first phase.
Each test is repeated three times under the supervision of a physiotherapist, who verifies the test and records the results: the error between the desired reference position and the actual position at which the robot has stopped.
Subsequently, the test is repeated three more times under the supervision of a different physiotherapist.
This video shows the tests performed by several patients for the passive joint position detection exercise with a 30-degree angle
Proprioception Test 3: Final Angle 50º, Active Exercise
The video demonstrates proprioception tests conducted with patients using active exercise. In this case, a force controller allows the patient to actively control the displacement of the mobile platform by exerting force on it.
The test consists of two phases: in the first phase, the robot positions the patient’s foot so that the knee forms a 50-degree angle, maintaining this position for a few seconds to allow the patient to memorize the achieved position.
In the second phase, the patient moves the platform by exerting force with their leg. When the patient believes they have reached the position specified in the first phase, they must press a button on a remote controller.
Each test is repeated three times under the supervision of a physiotherapist, who verifies the test and records the results, noting the error between the desired reference position and the actual position where the robot stops.
Subsequently, the test is repeated three more times under the supervision of a different physiotherapist.
This video shows the tests performed by several patients for the active joint position detection exercise with a 50-degree angle
Proprioception Test 4: Final Angle 30º, Active Exercise
The video demonstrates proprioception tests conducted with patients using active exercise. In this case, a force controller allows the patient to actively control the displacement of the mobile platform by exerting force on it.
The test consists of two phases: in the first phase, the robot positions the patient’s foot so that the knee forms a 30-degree angle, maintaining this position for a few seconds to allow the patient to memorize the achieved position.
In the second phase, the patient moves the platform by exerting force with their leg. When the patient believes they have reached the position specified in the first phase, they must press a button on a remote controller.
Each test is repeated three times under the supervision of a physiotherapist, who verifies the test and records the results, noting the error between the desired reference position and the actual position where the robot stops.
Subsequently, the test is repeated three more times under the supervision of a different physiotherapist.
This video shows the tests performed by several patients for the passive joint position detection exercise with a 30-degree angle
Muscle-targeted robotic assistive control using musculoskeletal model of the lower limb
This video shows an innovative assistive robot controller that aims to target specific muscles in the lower limb using a musculoskeletal model.
Traditional control frameworks for human-robot interaction predominantly operate in joint or task space and focus on position and exchanged forces, with limited consideration for human biomechanics, particularly muscular forces. Moreover, conventional manual rehabilitation techniques employed by physiotherapists are limited in their ability to obtain quantitative measurements and make precise modifications to key human variables, resulting in predominantly qualitative methods and results.
In response to these limitations, our proposed control framework operates primarily in the human muscular space, leveraging real-time measurements of muscular forces obtained from a calibrated musculoskeletal model of the lower limb. These measurements enable the establishment of a multistep closed-loop controller, with the outer loop precisely tracking desired muscular forces.
The controller is implemented within a configurable viscous environment and provides a natural response for the user. Experimental evaluations are conducted using a parallel robot designed for rehabilitation purposes, demonstrating the controller’s efficacy in accurately tracking the forces of specific muscles. The findings highlight the potential applications of this control framework in areas such as assistive robotics and rehabilitation, addressing the need for quantitative assessment and targeted muscle assistance.
This video shows two experiments using the assistive robot controller involving the Rectus femoris and the Biceps femoris musculus
Other videos related to the 4dof rehabilitation parallel robot
Clinical evaluation of ankle proprioception: plantar/dorsiflexion and eversion/inversion
This video shows an exercise for the clinical assessment of ankle proprioception. The video has two movements: a plantar/dorsiflexion and an eversion/inversion.