Robotic lower limb rehabilitation system

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• Rehabilitation equipment
• Rehabilitation of disabled people in Russia
• Robots in medicine
• Robots (robotics)

2022: Introduction of a "smart" lower limb rehabilitation system

Robotic lower extremity rehabilitation system
Photo by NUST MISIS

Russian scientists have developed a "smart" rehabilitation system for patients with impaired musculoskeletal functions, consisting of a robotic simulator and special software that analyzes the physical characteristics of patients and selects the optimal physiotherapy mode for each of them. In addition, the system encourages the patient for being active during the procedure, thereby motivating him to continue rehabilitation. This was announced on July 27, 2022 by representatives of NUST MISIS.

Rehabilitation of patients with diseases of the musculoskeletal system is one of the most difficult tasks of modern medicine. Various types of physiotherapy are used to restore the mobility of the limbs of partially or completely paralyzed patients. One of the most effective is physiotherapy using robotic devices.

Scientists of NUST "MISIS," Institute Belgorod State Technological University of Machine Science. A.A. Blagonravova RAS National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after N.F. Gamalei and in collaboration with colleagues from the Indian Institute of Technology have developed a robotic system for the rehabilitation of the lower extremities using an active manipulator, which drives a passive orthosis fixed on the patient's limbs, while providing the necessary angles of rotation of its joints.

The active mechanism consists of three independent kinematic circuits, each of which includes one prismatic hinge equipped with an electric drive and three rotary ones. Kinematic chains, in turn, are attached to the movable platform and ensure its movement along a given trajectory. The uniqueness of the development is that the robotic design is equipped with a "smart" control system that quickly adjusts to the anthropometric characteristics (limb size, height and body weight) of each particular patient and calculates the optimal trajectory for him.

In addition, if a patient independently produces, or at least attempts to produce, "correct" movements, as if "helping" the robot, the system accelerates work to give the patient the impression that it is their efforts that set the mechanism in motion, thus encouraging the patient's activity, motivating them to continue their rehabilitation efforts.

"The control system has been configured using mathematical modeling. We confirmed that the robotic simulator repeats with sufficient accuracy the angles of rotation of the joints of the lower extremities, which the control system sets individually for each patient, "said one of the authors of the development Sergey Khalapyan, Ph.D., associate professor of the Department of AICU STI NUST" MISiS. "

According to Sergei Khalapyan, the proposed robotic system will be useful for patients with different degrees of impaired motor function of the lower extremities and at different stages of their rehabilitation.