Multiobjective optimization of a cable-driven robot for wrist rehabilitation using a genetic algorithm

This paper presents a multi-objective optimization using a genetic algorithm to reduce the size of the current configuration of a cable-driven end-effector robot for wrist rehabilitation. The objective of this work is to obtain a smaller robot with good performance by employing a constrained genetic algorithm (GA) so the device can be light and wearable. The optimization was performed to study the effect of the robot dimensions and in the end, a new solution that can reduce the robot size by 35% and increase the performance by 1.8% was found

Assessment of human wrist rigidity and pain in post-traumatic patients

The aim of this work is to present a novel robot-based method to assess the sources of a lack of functionality in patients with recent traumatic wrist injuries. Post-traumatic patients experience limited range of motion as well as strength and proprioceptive deficits. These dysfunctions are related to different complications that usually follow the injuries: pain, increased rigidity, lack of movement fluency and loss of stability could arise differently, according to the severity, site and kind of lesion. Their quantitative evaluation could be essential to target rehabilitation treatments to the specific problem and to optimize and speed up the functional recovery. The use of robotic devices for assessment not only ensures objectivity and repeatability, but could also help to estimate the goodness of the evaluation itself, in terms of reliability and patient's engagement. Ten subjects with different types of wrist injuries were enrolled in this study and required to perform passive robot-guided reaching movements. Forces and angular positions were used to evaluate subject's range of motion, rigidity and pain that, considered together, allowed a comprehensive characterization of the level of healing and functionality achieved by each subject