Design and control of active knee rehabilitation orthotic device (AKROD)

Abstract

Patient populations with stroke or neurological disorders who have lost their walking capabilities regain ambulatory motor control functioning by undergoing physical rehabilitation. Conventional techniques are labor intensive and often require one-to-one administration, thereby making it time consuming for the therapist. This in turn leads to increased costs and reduced training duration. Research has shown that patient can improve their muscle strength and movement pattern by practicing locomotor related activities. With the advancement of robotic technologies in the recent years has led to the development of automated gait training devices to enable and assist patient to recover their motor skills. One such set of treadmill-based devices provides the means for intense rehabilitation but is very expensive and require large operational space.