Robotics For Rehabilitation Therapy: Functional Versus Individual Joint Training

Each year in the U.S. over 400,000 people survive a stroke and approximately 80% of acute stroke survivors lose arm and hand movement skills. Movement impairments are typically treated with intensive, hands-on physical and occupational therapy for several weeks after the initial brain injury. Unfortunately, due to economic pressure on the U.S. health care system, stroke patients are receiving less therapy and going home sooner. Our goal for this study is to develop an upper extremity robotic training system for both acute and chronic stroke population to improve movement ability with intensive and repetitive movement in the clinic without continuous supervision from a therapist.