Three generations of medical rehabilitation equipment for stroke

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Second generation exoskeleton equipment, side-view. (Personal Doc.)

UNAIR NEWS – Exoskeleton is a medical rehabilitation device attached to the body to increase one’s ability. Seeing stroke patients who have to undergo medical rehabilitation in the hospital with nurses’ help in practicing movements using existing tools and accommodation requires a lot of time and money, dr I Putu Alit Pawana, Sp.KFR Dr. Riries R, ST. MT. with a team in collaboration with Dr. Soetomo Hospital created a medical rehabilitation exoskeleton equipment.

dr I Putu Alit Pawana, Sp.KFR is a consultant doctor and lecturer at Universitas Airlangga, Dr. Riries is supported by the team consisting of Akif Rahmatillah, S.T, M.T, Osmalina Nur Rahma, S.T, M.Si., and Alfian Pramudita, ST, M.Sc.

The creation of a medical rehab exoskeleton equipment aims to train limb dysfunction due to stroke. Research team leader Dr. Riries R, ST. M.T., explained that limb movement is the main focus, especially the arms, as most stroke patients have arms’ movement problem.

“The exoskeleton is robotic-based, and we try to apply it to medicine, especially in medical rehabilitation,” she said at the Physics Department UNAIR, Tuesday, November 28, 2020.

Three Continuous Generations

The rehabilitation tool that has been researched from 2018 has had three generations with continuous development. The first generation is still used manually with the help of doctors and nurses for the setting. Meanwhile, the second generation is more automatic, and there is also more variety of movements by utilizing the distance range.

“So there are four DOF. So from this motion, the arm can move up and down, then from the side move up and down as well, also with the shoulders, ”explained one of the UNAIR Physics lecturers.

In 2020, the third generation was created by focusing more on the control of the systems. The existing automation also characterizes the muscle signal model of the movements.

“Because each muscle condition of each patient is different. Although maybe the stroke level is the same, it’s different. Now, we try to connect it and make it automatic, so later, the EMG sensor (Electromyography, ed) reads the condition of the muscle, the character of it, later the tool will determine the degree of movement needed for patient therapeutic movements,” she explained.

Materials Different Each Generation

These three generations of equipment have different materials. The first generation used polypropylene. For some activities, some parts have fractured.

The second and third generations use aluminum. With a simple design, it can be easily and conveniently used by patients.

“The target is not towards mobile. These are used in health clinics or hospitals, and rehabilitation centers. It can be distributed to various areas in the region, and this equipment is cheaper than similar imported ones. The design is simpler than the model,” she added.

Riries R, ST. MT. the head of the exoskeleton medical rehabilitation research team, met at the Physics department of UNAIR on Tuesday, June 18, 2019. (Personal Doc.)

Mass Produced and Patent Rights Registered

Riries said that the research on the robotic equipment had been registered for patents. It can be produced easily with patents. Furthermore, the research team has collaborated with the medical rehab team of Universitas Airlangga Hospital (RSUA) to test the equipment directly on patients. “The patent rights have been tested, the number has been issued,” she explained.

“This equipment has been tested, and there are patients who have been unable to move their arms for two years. “With this Hand Exoskeleton, there have been changes, they are able to move them, and the equipment is even brought home,” she added.

With this research, hopefully, that it can contribute to the medical world, especially helping patients. Mass production can reduce patient costs, and hospitals’ medical rehabilitation can be done more efficiently. (*)

Author: Asthesia Dhea Cantika

Editor : Binti Q. Masruroh

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