Developing and Analyzing a Novel Multimodal Stroke Rehabilitation System for Stroke Patients

Abstract

Compared to the general population, stroke survivors are more likely to have upper-limb motor impairments. New instruments developed to improve motor function in this group have drawn more attention in recent years. The goal of this study was to develop a novel upper-limb rehabilitation system that combines digital mirror therapy (MT) and action observation therapy (AOT). The system supports both unilateral and bilateral MT training modes, incorporating both pre-recorded and self-recorded AOT movies. These features were made possible via proprietary software. A 50-point bespoke questionnaire and the 100-point System Usability Scale (SUS) were used to evaluate the system’s usability. The system received an average SUS score of 79.38 from therapists and an 80.00 from patients. Therapists’ mean scores on the customized questionnaire were 41.00, whereas patients’ mean scores were 42.80. These encouraging outcomes imply that the system is easy to use and provides efficient rehabilitation assistance. A promising approach to increasing motor function in stroke survivors and possibly improving recovery results is the combination of digital AOT and MT.