MoveLeg: An Assistive Device for the Motor Tele-Rehabilitation of the Lower Limbs

Abstract

The use of assistive devices has shown to be beneficial in clinical services for the motor rehabilitation of the lower limbs. Its use facilitates the rehabilitation of patients and increases their participation in daily life. However, unlike some countries like the USA, Japan and Germany, in practice, these technologies are not necessarily available in Latin American countries due to a lack of resources, and demographic access barriers. In this work we present the design, development, and preliminary evaluation in terms of functionality and usability of MoveLeg, a low-cost assistive device for the motor rehabilitation of the lower limbs of patients with sequelae of stroke. The proposed device is based on design insights obtained from 14 motor rehabilitation specialists from different institutions, with characteristics that allow to: (i) care for remote patients, (ii) manage the therapy program online, (iii) personalize and monitor each session based on a mirror therapy, and (iv) decrease the intensity or stop the exercise in real-time. The results of the preliminary functional evaluation establish that the device is working properly. In addition, the results of the usability evaluation with an older adult and a physiotherapist suggest that the device is perceived as easy to use, easy to learn, and with a high intention to use, while providing motor tele-rehabilitation in real-time, in a supervised and safe way.