Active Hand Orthosis for Mirror Therapy of Hemiplegic Users
摘要
Quality of life is directly related to carrying out daily activities. Stroke is the leading global disease that impacts the activities of the affected people, impairs motor and sensory functions, and hampers basic activities such as eating, drinking, using devices, and other activities involving prehension and manipulation actions. Various robotic devices have been helping to rehabilitate people post-stroke. Therefore, it is proposed to develop a mirror rehabilitation system using active hand orthosis and an instrumented glove for people who have suffered stroke or traumatic brain injury. A 3D modeling of the active orthosis was carried out, using technical-scientific concepts to develop an orthosis with 14 degrees of freedom (DoF) for a 1.83 m tall subject. Finally, validation tests were carried out: maximum movement amplitudes (flexion and maximum extension angle) tests for active hand orthosis and maximum grip strength test of the orthosis. The orthosis glove set tests indicate results between 23.64% and 50.91% difference when comparing the joint angles to the literature; the maximum force exerted by the orthosis fingers was 10.968 N, presenting the highest force high level among active orthoses found in the literature. Therefore, it is concluded that the developed technology may be used as a hybrid rehabilitation system using mirror therapy and robotic assistance.