Researchers from Spain have developed a portable robotic device and video game software platform for tele-rehabilitation to aid stroke patients and others with neuromuscular disabilities.
The ArmAssist, a project backed by a business initiative called FIK, consists of a mobile device that is connected to the user through an orthotic that records and measures the movements of the shoulder and elbow.
The project, based at the La Fe Hospital in Valencia, will be tested in other geographical areas such as Barcelona`s Guttmann Institute.
The aim is to evaluate the usefulness of the system and identify the professional training needs that may arise among patients and therapists. The protocol will be a prospective, non-randomized clinical trial. The goal is to identify both the viability of the technology, as well as possible obstacles when taking the rehabilitation home.
During the clinical trials, patients will use the ArmAssist as soon as possible and be sent home with it in order to continue rehabilitation under the remote supervision of a therapist.
The objective is to motivate the patient, training the arm over a longer period. The games integrate a cognitive component, and feature puzzles, memory games, and card solitaire games. The software encompasses all stages of therapy, from planning, carrying it out, and its monitoring.
[Source: AlphaGalileo Foundation via Medical News Today]