Parallel assistive robotic system for knee rehabilitation: kinematic and dynamic modeling validation.

Abstract

The knee joint is frequently exposed to injuries in people of all ages. In some cases, physical therapy is prescribed to recover the strength and mobility of a patient. The robotic assistance devices are gaining community attention and aim to improve the quality of life of people. In this work, we present the kinematic and dynamic modelling of a five-bar-linkage assistive device for knee rehabilitation according to anthropometric data from Latin-American population. We obtain a dynamic model of the proposed rehabilitation system and compare the knee trajectories with obtained using the assistive system to evaluate appropriate control strategies in the future. For this purpose, we present the kinematic formulation of the device, and then we derive the dynamics using two approaches to validate the model; we obtain the motion equation using the Lagrange approach and an algebraic method that simplifies modelling. Both approaches yield a unique model, which is validated either in simulation and by experimental trials, showing the functionality of the system and the validity of the models when performing rehabilitation routines.