Design of a Flexible mechatronic system for mechanical impedance measurement of the wrist as one step towards robotic rehabilitation

Abstract Home rehabilitation is a great complement to inpatient rehabilitation, because it allows for more regular training, especially in rural areas, where the access to physiotherapists is limited. However, unsupervised training carries the risk of deviation from the prescribed protocol. An obvious solution is to introduce a technical means for rehabilitation and continuous monitoring of performance. This paper presents a robotic system for rehabilitation of three degrees of freedom of the wrist independently, implemented with only one actuator, optimizing the design and size of the system. The device provides measurements of joint torque-position dependence, allowing objective assessment of mechanical impedance and range of motion to evaluate the progress of rehabilitation. Derived from research on haptic devices, a measurement method was implemented to measure hand impedance in the high frequency range between 100 and 200 Hz using a combination of exciters and accelerometers in the handles. This allows continuous monitoring of gripping forces without the need for complex contact-based force sensors. In collaboration between the authors’ technical and medical universities, a set of two-level passive and active safety measures was implemented to ensure the safety of the system’s users. Therefore, the presented system shows the potential to evaluate the mechanical impedance of the wrist at both low and high frequencies and to monitor the progress during rehabilitation. In the next step, a baseline of wrist impedance will be measured in a target group of healthy volunteers in order to prepare for studies in motion-restricted subjects.