Connected Elbow Exoskeleton System for Rehabilitation Training Based on Virtual Reality and Context-Aware

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Medical Technology
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Traditional physiotherapy systems are advancing with exoskeleton and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies.
• Connected systems like the Internet of Things (IoT) enable low-cost, home-based medical tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a low-cost elbow exoskeleton connected to a Context-Aware architecture.
• To enable patients to perform interactive rehabilitation exercises using a VR system.
• To highlight the system's intelligent features for exercise management and patient monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Development of a low-cost elbow exoskeleton.
• Integration with a Context-Aware architecture and a Virtual Reality (VR) system.
• Incorporation of commercial medical sensors for data collection.
• A case study with real patients was conducted.

Main Results:

• The system facilitates interactive and engaging rehabilitation exercises.
• Intelligent features include automated exercise generation, progress monitoring, and dynamic modification.
• Commercial sensors enhance diagnostic accuracy and patient evolution tracking.
• A case study demonstrated promising results with real patients.

Conclusions:

• The developed system offers an advanced, effective, and low-cost solution for home-based elbow rehabilitation.
• VR integration enhances patient motivation and reduces healthcare professional workload.
• The intelligent platform supports personalized and adaptive rehabilitation programs.