Robotic companions in stroke therapy: A user study on the efficacy of assistive robotics among 30 patients in neurological rehabilitation

Abstract

This article summarizes and explains the results of our recently completed German research project ROREAS (Robotic Rehabilitation Assistant for Gait Training of Stroke Patients). The project combines medical, technical and sociological expertise to develop an autonomous robot companion to aid stroke patients' recoveries. The robotic companion aims to bridge the gap between human assisted gait training and independent exercise. From the beginning, the project was carried out in the real surroundings of the users — the corridors of a rehabilitation clinic. N=12 stroke patients were included in the technical development and N=30 patients in the evaluation of the robot companion. The robotic platform and HRI (Human-Robot Interaction) have been developed specifically for the particular requirements of this study. The empirical results show that the majority of robot users accept the mobile robotic companion and would incorporate it into their gait training. Despite severe mobility and/or cognitive handicaps, all patients could easily handle the robot. The robotic assistance motivated patients to leave their room despite difficulties in spatial orientation and ultimately they were able to increase the length of their routes and the duration of their training units.