Telerehabilitation using a 2-D planar arm rehabilitation robot for hemiparetic stroke: a feasibility study of clinic-to-home exergaming therapy.

Background: We evaluated the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of a 2D-planar robot for minimally supervised home-based upper-limb therapy for post-stroke hemiparesis.

Methods: The H-Man, end effector robot, combined with web-based software application for remote tele-monitoring were evaluated at homes of participants. Inclusion criteria were: strokes > 28 days, Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment (FMA) > 10-60/66, presence of a carer and absence of medical contraindications.

Soft, Lightweight Wearable Robots to Support the Upper Limb in Activities of Daily Living: A Feasibility Study on Chronic Stroke Patients.

Stroke can be a devastating condition that impairs the upper limb and reduces mobility. Wearable robots can aid impaired users by supporting performance of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). In the past decade, soft devices have become popular due to their inherent malleable and low-weight properties that makes them generally safer and more ergonomic.

Robotic Assisted Upper Limb Training Post Stroke: A Randomized Control Trial Using Combinatory Approach Toward Reducing Workforce Demands.

Post stroke upper limb rehabilitation is a challenging problem with poor outcomes as 40% of survivors have functionally useless upper limbs. Robot-aided therapy (RAT) is a potential method to alleviate the effort of intensive, task-specific, repetitive upper limb exercises for both patients and therapists. The present study aims to investigate how a time matched combinatory training scheme that incorporates conventional and RAT, using H-Man, compares with conventional training toward reducing workforce demands.

Work with me, not for me: Relationship between robotic assistance and performance in subacute and chronic stroke patients.

Introduction: Studies in robotic therapy which applied the performance enhancement approach report improvements in motor performance during training, though these improvements do not always transfer to motor learning.

Objectives: We postulate that there exists an assistance threshold for which performance saturates. Above this threshold, the robot's input outweighs the patient's input and likely learning is not fostered.

A preliminary study on the relationship between proprioceptive deficits and motor functions in chronic stroke patients.

Although motor and sensory impairments of the upper limb after stroke have been widely studied, the relationship between sensory deficits and motor functions has been less thoroughly explored. In this ongoing study, we investigated the relationship between proprioceptive impairments and motor functions with 20 chronic stroke survivors. Their proprioceptive abilities were assessed with a passive joint position matching test using H-Man and their motor functions were assessed with ARAT (Action Research Arm Test) and FMA (Fugl Meyer Upper Extremity Assessment) clinical scores.

Efficacy of a Virtual Reality Commercial Gaming Device in Upper Limb Recovery after Stroke: A Randomized, Controlled Study.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of a virtual reality commercial gaming device, Nintendo wii (NW) with conventional therapy and customary care in facilitating upper limb recovery after stroke.

Design: Randomized, controlled, single-blinded study.

Setting: Tertiary rehabilitation center.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized phase II pilot study to investigate the potential efficacy of the traditional chinese medicine Neuroaid (MLC 601) in enhancing recovery after stroke (TIERS).

Background And Objective: Previous clinical studies have shown that Neuroaid (MLC 601) may be beneficial in post-stroke rehabilitation. Our aim was to investigate the efficacy of Neuroaid on motor recovery in ischemic stroke patients using rehabilitation endpoints in accordance with the International Conference on Harmonization/Good Clinical Practice guidelines, in order to provide predictive information for further larger trials.

Methods: This is a phase II double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of 40 subjects admitted with a recent (less than 1 month) ischemic stroke.