Bio-inspired upper limb soft exoskeleton to reduce stroke-induced complications

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Robotics
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide, with dyskinesia complications significantly contributing to these rates.
• Existing exoskeleton robots often exhibit poor human-machine coupling, leading to joint and muscle damage and hindering natural motion recovery.
• Effective rehabilitation strategies are crucial for improving functional outcomes and reducing the long-term impact of stroke.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel ergonomic soft bionic exoskeleton robot for stroke patient rehabilitation.
• To improve human-machine coupling in exoskeleton technology to prevent joint and muscle damage.
• To enhance motion function recovery and reduce disability and mortality rates in stroke survivors.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the human motion system based on functional anatomy, modeling muscles as tension lines.
• Development of a soft bionic robot based on a musculoskeletal tension line model and a 3D-printed humanoid platform.
• Optimization of a robot control method mimicking human muscle control principles, validated through motion trajectory analysis and electromyogram (EMG) signal testing.

Main Results:

• Motion trajectory similarity between the optimized control method and human motion exceeded 87%.
• Robot assistance resulted in a 58.17% decrease in muscle (electromyogram) signals, indicating reduced muscle effort.
• Stroke patients using the exoskeleton showed a 174% increase in joint movement level, enabling activities of daily living.

Conclusions:

• The novel soft bionic exoskeleton robot effectively assists stroke patients in recovering motion function.
• The ergonomic design and optimized control method improve human-machine interaction, reducing the risk of secondary injuries.
• This technology holds significant potential for decreasing stroke-related disability and mortality rates by facilitating functional recovery.