About two thirds of patients with stroke fight with an alteration of mobility. The behaviors that were previously simple, such as walking, showering or dressing, become difficult, even impossible to perform without help.
To find some control over their bodies, patients often undergo physical rehabilitation therapy. This process varies from patients to patient, some of the most weakened while benefiting from electromechanical equipment. These bulky devices look like science fiction exoskeletons. A hoist keeps the patient standing while the steel joints around their members help their movement. If the patient receives a rehabilitation for walking, a treadmill can be used.
Although these devices have helped thousands of people to regain their independence, they have their disadvantages. Namely, they are often large and heavy, and therefore available only in specialized hospital services.
But it may not be always so Dr Jacqueline Libby.
Libby, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the Stevens Institute of Technology, makes a new era of stroke rehabilitation equipment made from soft tires that are integrated into the body. Lighter and lighter than traditional mechanized support frames, these “gentle exosuits” could one day be available for patients to wear and use in them.
Libby detailed his research to Technological networks’ recent Laboratory of the future 2025 Symposium.
A growing need
“We live in a world with an aging population,” said Libby Technological networks audience. “By 2050, the number of people over 65 will have doubled compared to children, and at 2100, it will be 5 times more.”
This demographic change will increase in age -related health problems; Stroke mainly affects people over 55.
To meet this imminent need, Libby says that the field of stroke rehabilitation will have to adapt or risk failing patients.
“If patients who have undergone a stroke do not obtain therapy in the first three months, they could be paralyzed for life,” she said.
The extension of rehabilitation in patient houses could be an essential way to make such adaptations.
“Home robots could be huge,” said Libby, “to make therapy more accessible and affordable.”
To inaugurate this era of domestic robotics, Libby and its team from the Stevens Institute have developed prototypes for more flexible and light rehabilitation combinations. These conceptions are based on soft silicone tire actuators reinforced with flexible fibers to swell and contract like artificial muscles when inappropriate.
“We throw mussels, inject silicone and wrap the actuators with wire for strengthening,” said Libby. “The objective is to create light and portable devices that patients can use comfortably at home.”
To respond to the planned movement of a patient, combinations are equipped with biodetection technologies that react to neural signals.
“If a patient of a stroke intends to move his hand but cannot, our sensors can read his muscle signals and translate this intention in motion,” said Libby.
“This creates a complete feedback loop between the patient’s brain, muscles and gentle exosuits.”
Portable technology
But accommodating this type of mechanical flexibility is not easy.
“With rigid robots, we can easily calculate the angles and the positions of the joints,” noted Libby. “But soft robots have infinite degrees of freedom, which makes modeling and control much more complex.”
We use depth learning models to follow the movement and estimate the shape of soft actuators in real time, “she said Technological networks audience. “Using nearby cameras and integrated physical sensors, we can better control the robot response and improve user safety.”
The physical costume technology is produced via 3D printing.
“Traditional manufacturing is with a high intensity of labor,” noted Libby. “But we have developed a method for 3D printed actuators with a high tear force and no air leaks. This could help increase production and bring these devices to more patients. ”
Her team has also studied how to reduce hysteresis, a phenomenon where the response of a soft actuator differs depending on whether it swells or deflates.
“We are looking for ways to optimize internal geometries so that the actuators behave more predictable,” she said. “This could improve their efficiency in rehabilitation.”
Now the team just needs to combine these optimized actuators with automatic learning and computer vision in a single prototype.
“We are working to fully integrate these technologies – soft actuators, biocappters and automatic learning – in a transparent rehabilitation system,” said Libby.
Its long -term vision is a future where personalized rehabilitation robots are available for all those who need it.
“Imagine a patient from the elderly with a soft exosuit at home that works with them 12 hours a day, helping them find mobility while their therapist progresses remotely,” she told Technological networks audience. “This is where we want to go.”
“Sweet robotics is still a young area,” she added. “But with interdisciplinary collaboration and continuous innovation, we can change the way in which rehabilitation is carried out, which gives patients a better chance of recovery and independence.”