A Training Exoskeleton for Rehabilitation in Upper Extremity for Stroke Patients

Abstract

With the aim of recovery and training of the patients suffering from osteoarthritis, muscular dystrophy and stroke, we present a design and validation model of a mechanical rehabilitation device for the hand. The objective is to bring together the advances in mechanism effectiveness, reduced size, simpler assembly, and lower manufacturing costs. As a result, the proposed exoskeleton employs a minimal number of components and has a very simplistic design. Moreover, training on the designed hand should reduce spasticity, paresis and recover the tone of the muscle. The designed device can deliver motions that include opening/closing, pronation/supination of the hand and flexion/extension of the hand as well as the arm. This work will focus toward increasing DOF, cost-effectiveness and some modifications in the design to ease assembly. Three servo motors and a linear actuator were used virtually to obtain four different motions. 3D designing of the parts, parts assembly, simulation and studies like kinematic, dynamic and static were carried out. Static analysis of the device shows the device is able to carry the loads without any fracture or deformation. Preliminary results obtained through motion curves show this device is able to deliver all the required motions smoothly without facing any dead point.