Design

The current design is a 7 degrees-of-freedom (DoF) system that accounts for shoulder (flexion-extension, abduction-adduction, lateral-medial rotation) and elbow (flexion-extension, pronation-supination) movements. An effective design requires the device to be comfortable, user-friendly, safe to use, and manufactured at a low cost. The device shall be actuated using high power servo motors attached to an adjustable and lightweight frame. A real-time biofeedback system shall be integrated to record neuromuscular activity using surface electromyography (sEMG) among other sensors. The robotic exoskeleton arm shall perform active and passive motion exercises through gamification using integrated haptics and a graphical interface. Essentially, this device shall provide post-stroke patients with a cost-efficient and high performance rehabilitation system where they can track their progress in real-time leading to a faster recovery rate.

Approach

The development of a robotic exoskeleton for upper extremity rehabilitation is a multidisciplinary effort encompassing both qualitative and quantitative approaches. This project shall be divided into three (3) distinct phases to arrive at the final design. Phase 1 deals with the early stages of product design and development where the specifications are generated based on the needs of the users. Phase 2 shall deal with the development and iteration stages where the product is adjusted towards performance, manufacturability, and cost-effectiveness. Phase 3 will deal with upscaling the production which also involves manufacturing and startup research