Investigating a Telerehabilitation Platform Integrated With a Rehabilitation Robot Using Microsoft HoloLens 2 for...

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Human-Computer Interaction
• Neurorehabilitation Engineering
• Digital Health Technologies

Background:

• Upper-limb impairments significantly cause long-term disability after stroke and spinal cord injury.
• Stroke survivors often face limited access to crucial neurorehabilitation services due to various barriers.
• There is a substantial unmet need for accessible and effective upper-limb therapeutic solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the usability of a novel telerehabilitation platform.
• The platform integrates a portable desktop-mounted robot (DMRbotV3) with a mixed reality HoloLens 2 application.
• The goal is to support accessible and adaptive upper-limb neurorehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• A pilot usability study involving 6 participants (3 stroke survivors, 3 occupational therapists).
• Participants completed a 2-hour session using the telerehabilitation platform in a laboratory setting.
• Data collected included robotic parameters, usability questionnaires, and safety documentation.

Main Results:

• The telerehabilitation system was found to be safe and well-tolerated, with no adverse events reported.
• High participant satisfaction and engagement were observed, with average usability scores of ≥4.0.
• The robotic system demonstrated smooth performance with controlled velocity and adaptive interaction forces.

Conclusions:

• The integration of robotics and mixed reality in a telerehabilitation platform is a viable approach for upper-limb neurorehabilitation.
• This preliminary study supports the usability and potential of the developed system.
• Participant feedback highlighted areas for future refinement to improve therapy adaptability and personalization.