Abstract

VILLAREJO, John Jairo; VALENCIA-JIMENEZ, Nicolás Jacobo; ARANGO-HOYOS, Gloria Patricia  and  CAICEDO-BRAVO, Eduardo Francisco. Biofeedback System for Exoskeletqn Assisted Gait Rehabilitation. Rev. ing. biomed. [online]. 2018, vol.12, n.24, pp.47-57. ISSN 1909-9762.  https://doi.org/10.24050/19099762.n23.2018.1079.

The inclusion of robots in rehabilitation allow advantages for generate newer therapies in neurologic disorder patients. Assistive gait therapies using robots, like exoskeletons, allow increase the time and intensity training for patients while the strenuous labor of therapist is reduced. However, the physic interaction between therapist and patient in training with robots is limited, in relation to the traditional manual therapy. An appropriated feedback of biological and biomechanics functions in the robot interaction during training provides an easier performance evaluation of the patient for the therapist. Further, biofeedback gives a motivation to the patient and encourages him for gait relearning with higher effects than conventional. This paper presents a user interface design for a lower limb exoskeleton for human gait assistance in rehabilitation. Clinical and technical criteria for increasing the advantages of the exoskeleton in therapy were considered. A biofeedback scheme about muscle activity, plantar pressure and some biomechanics variables, for the patient is proposed. Finally, a validation for this tool with healthy subjects by a usability test was carried out.

Keywords : Gait rehabilitation; Lower limb exoskeleton; Superficial electromyography sEMG; User interface.

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