A low-cost portable tele-rehabilitation system for the treatment and assessment of the elbow deformity of stroke patients

Abstract

Flexed elbow is a stereotypical pattern of arm deformity commonly seen in stroke survivors. In this study, a low-cost and portable tele-rehabilitation system suitable for home-based therapy is developed. A slave device with a slave controller is designed to stretch and mobilize the impaired elbow joints accurately and safely. A master device with a master controller is designed to control/monitor the procedure of treatment and assess the outcome of treatment remotely and accurately. Compared with the traditional hospital-based therapy, the tele-rehabilitation system is more cost-efficient and convenient for both the stroke survivors and the clinicians.