Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Adriana Cancrini, Paolo Baitelli, Matteo Lavit Nicora, Matteo Malosio, Alessandra Pedrocchi, Alessandro Scano
Summary: This study investigates the effect of robot assistance on task performance and muscle synergies in healthy individuals. The results show that assistance improves task performance but has limited impact on muscle synergies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Flavia Marrone, Massimiliano Pau, Luca Vismara, Micaela Porta, Matteo Bigoni, Bruno Leban, Serena Cerfoglio, Manuela Galli, Alessandro Mauro, Veronica Cimolin
Summary: The aim of this study was to assess inter-limb symmetry during gait in post-stroke patients using the synchronized cyclograms technique. The results showed that post-stroke patients had abnormal gait parameters and higher inter-limb symmetry compared to the control group. Achieving symmetry in gait is crucial for the rehabilitation of hemiplegic people.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Bernardo Noronha, Chwee Yin Ng, Kieran Little, Michele Xiloyannis, Christopher Wee Keong Kuah, Seng Kwee Wee, Suhas Raghavendra Kulkarni, Lorenzo Masia, Karen Sui Geok Chua, Dino Accoto
Summary: This study presents an improved version of a gravity-compensating upper limb exosuit and a novel hand exoskeleton to assist stroke patients in performing daily activities. The integrated system was tested on 10 chronic stroke patients, and significant reductions in muscular activity and improvements in muscular coactivation were observed, along with an increase in elbow flexion angle.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Tie Liang, Huacong Miao, Hongrui Wang, Xiaoguang Liu, Xiuling Liu
Summary: This study investigated the effects of gait speed on the cooperative modules and functional connectivity between muscles. By analyzing surface electromyography (sEMG) signals, the researchers found that gait speed influences the strength of connections and coordination patterns among muscles, and is related to the regulation of the neuromuscular system.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Qiliang Xiong, Jinliang Wan, Shaofeng Jiang, Yuan Liu
Summary: The age-related changes of gait symmetry in healthy children have been studied extensively. This study examines the coordination of multiple joints and muscles and its relationship to age and gait symmetry. Results show that age has a significant effect on kinematic synergy symmetry values, with older children exhibiting higher symmetry values compared to younger children. However, no significant age-related changes were observed in the muscle synergy symmetry values.
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING ONLINE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Yang-An Li, Ze-Jian Chen, Chang He, Xiu-Pan Wei, Nan Xia, Ming-Hui Gu, Cai-Hua Xiong, Qin Zhang, Trisha M. Kesar, Xiao-Lin Huang, Jiang Xu
Summary: Abnormal muscle synergies during sit-to-stand (STS) transitions have been observed post-stroke. Exoskeleton-assisted STS training intervention can partially restore normal muscle synergies and improve clinical scores in stroke survivors.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Instruments & Instrumentation
Shuo Yang, Xin Huang, Jin-man Zhou, Qiang Xue
Summary: This article provides an overview of the development and application of robotic lower limb orthoses in rehabilitation training. It reviews and discusses new devices and technologies, highlights the challenges in research and design, and predicts future directions for development.
REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Elena Bardi, Marta Gandolla, Francesco Braghin, Ferruccio Resta, Alessandra L. G. Pedrocchi, Emilia Ambrosini
Summary: Soft robotic wearable devices, known as exosuits, have great potential for daily upper limb support as an alternative to rigid exoskeletons. This review explores the current approaches in design and production steps, focusing on different actuation types and intention detection strategies to support key joints such as elbow and shoulder.
JOURNAL OF NEUROENGINEERING AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Masakazu Taketomi, Yukiyo Shimizu, Hideki Kadone, Shigeki Kubota, Yuta Kagai, Yoshitaka Okamoto, Yasushi Hada, Masashi Yamazaki
Summary: Upper extremity dysfunction after stroke can be improved through rehabilitation using a shoulder joint hybrid assistive limb (HAL). This study showed that HAL assisted shoulder movement and improved shoulder muscle strength, voluntary and passive shoulder joint range of motion, as well as overall upper limb function in patients with chronic stroke and upper extremity functional disability. The safety and effectiveness of HAL in motor learning were also demonstrated.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Prithvi Ravi Kantan, Sofia Dahl, Helle Rovsing Jorgensen, Chetali Khadye, Erika G. Spaich
Summary: This study explored the use of auditory feedback to enhance patient awareness of gait kinematics during rehabilitation. A set of concurrent feedback paradigms for swing phase kinematics in hemiparetic gait training was developed and tested. The feedback algorithms, based on gyroscopic data from wireless inertial units, were evaluated by physiotherapists and found to be effective in improving gait quality for hemiparetic patients.
Review
Rehabilitation
Dario Calafiore, Francesco Negrini, Nicola Tottoli, Francesco Ferraro, Ozden Ozyemisci-Taskiran, Alessandro de Sire
Summary: This study evaluated the efficacy of Robot-assisted gait rehabilitation (RAGT) for gait recovery in subacute stroke survivors, showing its potential role in this field, though further research comparing its effectiveness with conventional physical therapy is still needed in the neurorehabilitation field.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL AND REHABILITATION MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Bin Zhong, Mei Shen, Haowen Liu, Yijun Zhao, Qiuyang Qian, Wei Wang, Haoyong Yu, Mingming Zhang
Summary: This study investigated the effects of personalized assistance using the SEAExo lower limb exoskeleton on gait performance in stroke survivors. The results showed that personalized assistance significantly improved gait metrics and reduced muscle activities, indicating the potential for enhancing post-stroke gait rehabilitation.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Sung Yul Shin, Yusung Kim, Arun Jayaraman, Hyung-Soon Park
Summary: The study found that stroke survivors with fewer muscle modules exhibited reduced speed and greater asymmetry in kinematic parameters. The combination of input variables from the modular neuromuscular control framework significantly correlated with gait quality measures.
JOURNAL OF NEUROENGINEERING AND REHABILITATION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Craig G. Mcdonald, Benjamin J. Fregly, Marcia K. O'Malley
Summary: Changes in muscle synergies can be correlated to functional changes resulting from neurological injury, serving as an indicator of motor impairment. Using a rehabilitation robot to constrain limb movements during training may not alter a subject's muscle synergies, as suggested by preliminary results.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Fangshi Zhu, Marcie Kern, Erin Fowkes, Taimoor Afzal, Jose-Luis Contreras-Vidal, Gerard E. Francisco, Shuo-Hsiu Chang
Summary: This study found that using a powered exoskeleton for gait training can alter neuromuscular coordination in stroke patients, especially on the paretic side. However, after training, the complexity, module composition, and activation timing of neuromuscular coordination remained unchanged.
JOURNAL OF NEURAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Orthopedics
Shigeki Kubota, Hideki Kadone, Yukiyo Shimizu, Tetsuya Abe, Takeshi Makihara, Tadashi Kubo, Hiroki Watanabe, Aiki Marushima, Masao Koda, Yasushi Hada, Masashi Yamazaki
Summary: This case report describes the feasibility and efficacy of rehabilitation training using a shoulder assistive robot for shoulder elevation training in a patient with unilateral upper limb palsy following traumatic spinal cord injury.
JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Alexey Anastasiev, Hideki Kadone, Aiki Marushima, Hiroki Watanabe, Alexander Zaboronok, Shinya Watanabe, Akira Matsumura, Kenji Suzuki, Yuji Matsumaru, Eiichi Ishikawa
Summary: The study investigates the possibilities of hand gesture recognition in acute stroke patients with hand paresis using a new feature set and supervised learning algorithms trained only by surface electromyography (sEMG). The results show the partial efficacy of using sEMG and supervised learning for upper-limb rehabilitation procedures for early acute stroke motor recovery and various treatment applications.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Maxwell Kennard, Hideki Kadone, Yukiyo Shimizu, Kenji Suzuki
Summary: This paper introduces a passive exoskeleton device aimed at supporting individuals with cerebral palsy who experience crouch gait. The device successfully reduced hip joint angle and muscle co-activation index for a pilot user, indicating its potential in addressing crouch gait symptoms. Further improvements in activation timing and device training are necessary for better user support.
Article
Neurosciences
Margaux Noemie Lafitte, Hideki Kadone, Shigeki Kubota, Yukiyo Shimizu, Chun Kwang Tan, Masao Koda, Yasushi Hada, Yoshiyuki Sankai, Kenji Suzuki, Masashi Yamazaki
Summary: This study evaluates the effects of shoulder HAL rehabilitation on patients with shoulder elevation dysfunction. The results show that participants experienced improvements in muscle strength and range of motion after the training. HAL reduced the activity of the deltoid and trapezius muscles and decreased their coactivation. Additionally, participants showed a reduction in characteristic shrugging compensatory motion, relying more on the deltoid muscle. This study provides insights into the physiological effects of the HAL device and suggests functional recovery in acute and chronic shoulder impairments.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yang Chen, Takashi Kuwahara, Yuki Nishimura, Kenji Suzuki
Summary: This paper introduces a new design concept for a personal mobility device that combines the agile mobility of a wheel-type mechanism with a human's natural ability to climb stairs. The developed hardware allows for both walking and driving modes, giving users the flexibility to choose the appropriate mode for their needs.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Hiroki Watanabe, Bryan J. Mathis, Tomoyuki Ueno, Masakazu Taketomi, Shigeki Kubota, Aiki Marushima, Hiroaki Kawamoto, Yoshiyuki Sankai, Akira Matsumura, Yasushi Hada
Summary: Stroke rehabilitation with mechanical assistance improves outcomes by facilitating repetition and relieving the care burden of therapy staff. The study tested the efficacy of the Medical Care Pit (MCP) walking assistance training device in the rehabilitation of acute stroke patients. The results showed that MCP, in addition to the usual rehabilitation program, was effective in gait rehabilitation for independent walking and relieved burdens on the patients.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Alexey Anastasiev, Hideki Kadone, Aiki Marushima, Hiroki Watanabe, Alexander Zaboronok, Shinya Watanabe, Akira Matsumura, Kenji Suzuki, Yuji Matsumaru, Eiichi Ishikawa
Summary: In myoelectrical pattern recognition, the lack of hemiplegic data and limited knowledge of skeletomuscular function make feature extraction methods for stroke-oriented applications challenging and discordant. The need for robust, subject-independent feature generation in the presence of technical and clinical barriers is also a concern when using supervised learning. This study investigates the brute-force analysis of feature vectors for stroke gesture recognition in acute patients, revealing the advantage of using post-brute-force singular vectors concatenated via a Fibonacci-like spiral net ranking for feature selection, which improves classification rate performance compared to canonical feature sets.
BIOENGINEERING-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Shigeki Kubota, Hideki Kadone, Yukiyo Shimizu, Hiroki Watanabe, Masao Koda, Yoshiyuki Sankai, Masashi Yamazaki
Summary: The study aimed to find evidence confirming the effectiveness and feasibility of robotic Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) shoulder exercises for postoperative C5 palsy. Through introducing shoulder HAL training in the early postoperative stage, the study showed improvement in shoulder joint function with increased shoulder abduction angle and power over time.
MEDICINA-LITHUANIA
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Masashi Tsukamoto, Airi Tsuji, Satoru Sekine, Takahide Omori, Kenji Suzuki, Junichi Yamamoto
Summary: This study investigated the use of group area as a measure of pre-school children's social interactions. The results showed a significant but low correlation between group area and subjective evaluation in Experiment 2. Additionally, there was a stronger association between subjective evaluation and social behavior.
CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Shigeki Kubota, Hideki Kadone, Yukiyo Shimizu, Masao Koda, Hiroshi Noguchi, Hiroshi Takahashi, Hiroki Watanabe, Yasushi Hada, Yoshiyuki Sankai, Masashi Yamazaki
Summary: Foot and ankle disabilities, such as foot drop, caused by peroneal nerve palsy and stroke can greatly hinder patients' mobility and daily activities. In this study, we developed a novel robotics ankle hybrid assistive limb (HAL) to help patients with foot drop improve ankle movement. The ankle HAL is a wearable exoskeleton-type robot that trains the ankle joint through plantar and dorsiflexion exercises, using an actuator to detect bioelectrical signals from the muscles. Our experiment with a patient with peroneal nerve palsy after lumbar surgery showed that voluntary ankle dorsiflexion training with the ankle HAL was safe and had positive effects on muscle activity.
MEDICINA-LITHUANIA
(2022)
Article
Rehabilitation
Tomoyuki Ueno, Aiki Marushima, Hiroaki Kawamoto, Yukiyo Shimizu, Hiroki Watanabe, Hideki Kadone, Kayo Hiruta, Shunsuke Yamauchi, Ayumu Endo, Yasushi Hada, Hideo Tsurushima, Eiichi Ishikawa, Yuji Matsumaru, Yoshiyuki Sankai, Masashi Yamazaki, Akira Matsumura
Summary: A novel staged HAL treatment protocol was developed for patients with acute stroke, showing improvements in gait speed, step length, and functional ambulation category. RPG-HAL also resulted in higher Barthel Index scores in patients.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Proceedings Paper
Engineering, Biomedical
Bruno Leme, Chun Kwang Tan, Eleuda Nunez, Masakazu Hirokawa, Kenji Suzuki, Hideki Kadone
Summary: This paper proposes an alternative method for estimating gait parameters for individuals requiring Body Weight Support during gait training, which can acquire step length and body weight unloaded with high accuracy. The proposed device is a simple, low-cost method for collecting gait parameters, providing valuable information for personalized treatment.
2021 43RD ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY SOCIETY (EMBC)
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
SunKyoung Kim, Masakazu Hirokawa, Atsushi Funahashi, Kenji Suzuki
Summary: This study examined the influence of parents on robot-assisted activities for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. It found that parental intervention can help children re-engage with the robot, but children may exhibit inappropriate and repetitive behaviors after disengagement, requiring parent's appropriate intervention and guidance.
MULTIMODAL TECHNOLOGIES AND INTERACTION
(2022)