Design of Powered Wearable Elbow Brace for Rehabilitation Applications at Clinic and Home

Abstract

Spasticity and contractures are secondary to most neurological and orthopaedic pathologies. The most conservative method of management of spasticity and contractures is passive stretching exercises. Robotic rehabilitation aims to provide a solution to this problem. We describe in details the design of a powered wearable orthosis especially designed for managing spasticity and contractures. The device is fully portable, allowing the patient to undergo repeated-passive-dynamic exercises outside the hospital environment. The design of the device is modular to make it adaptable to different anatomies and pathologies. The device is also fitted with electrogoniometers and torque sensors to record kinematics and dynamics of the patient, improving the insight of the clinicians to the rehabilitation of the patient, as well as providing data for further clinical and scientific investigations. The mechanical integrity of the device elements is simulated and verified.