MIT-MANUS

For rehabilitation of the upper limb, the MIT Manus system provided sufficient workspace for horizontal motion [42] and vertical motion in most workspace in ADL. One of trends in the development of rehabilitation robotics has been the development of an exoskeleton system with a full range of motion employing multiple actuators. ArmeoPower was the first commercially available exoskeleton-type... 

The MIT-MANUS device maims, from the Latin for hand ) was the first rehabilitator to undergo intensive clinical testing. - This device is a planar, two-ievolute-joint, backdrivable robotic device diat attaches to the patient s hand and forearm through a brace (Fig. 35.1). The device can assist or... 

A therapy study of the MIME device has produced similar results with chronic stroke patients. In this study, the robot was position controlled so as to drive the subject s arm through a desired trajectory, as specified either by the trajectory of the contralateral (unimpaired) arm in real time (bimanual mode) or as measured previously (unimanual mode). Chronic stroke subjects exercised 3 hours per week, performing reaching exercises and tracing shapes. At the end of 2 months, the robot exercise group exhibited enhanced movement ability, as measured by clinical scales similar to those used in the MIT-MANUS study, as well as in terms of measurements of active range of motion and... 

This section reviews practical design considerations for rehabilitators using design features of the MIT-MANUS, MIME, and ARM Guide arm rehabilitators and the MGT and Lokomat locomotion rehabilitators for reference. 

Many patients also have decreased range of motion of the arm, constraining the set of postures into which they can self-attach their arms to a machine. Commonly affected degrees of freedom are forearm supination and shoulder external rotation. It is thus important to avoid having the patient maneuver his or her hand through a complex attachment geometry. The MIT-MANUS, the MIME, and the ARM Guide allow attachment of the hand in a pronated posture directly in front of the torso. 

The MIT-MANUS and MIME devices and the ARM Guide all attach to the patient s hand at their end effectors. Attaching at multiple positions on the upper extremity is also possible and may allow improved control over Joint loading. Exoskeleton designs that parallel the degrees of freedom of the upper extremity have been proposed. ... 

---