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Robot-supported assessment of balance in standing and walking.
Journal article

Robot-supported assessment of balance in standing and walking.

  • Shirota C Rehabilitation Engineering Lab, Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Lengghalde 5, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
  • van Asseldonk E Department of Biomechanical Engineering, MIRA, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB, Enschede, The Netherlands.
  • Matjačić Z University Rehabilitation Institute, Republic of Slovenia, Linhartova 51, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
  • Vallery H Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD, Delft, The Netherlands.
  • Barralon P Health Division, Tecnalia Research and Innovation, Paseo Mikeletegi 1, 20009, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain.
  • Maggioni S Sensory-Motor Systems Lab, Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Sonneggstrasse 3, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
  • Buurke JH Roessingh Research and Development, Roessinghsbleekweg 33b, 7522 AH, Enschede, The Netherlands.
  • Veneman JF Health Division, Tecnalia Research and Innovation, Paseo Mikeletegi 1, 20009, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain. jan.veneman@tecnalia.com.
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  • 2017-08-16
Published in:
  • Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation. - 2017
Assessment
Balance performance
Posturography
Rehabilitation robots
Standing
Walking
Humans
Male
Nervous System Diseases
Physical Therapy Modalities
Postural Balance
Robotics
Walking
English Clinically useful and efficient assessment of balance during standing and walking is especially challenging in patients with neurological disorders. However, rehabilitation robots could facilitate assessment procedures and improve their clinical value. We present a short overview of balance assessment in clinical practice and in posturography. Based on this overview, we evaluate the potential use of robotic tools for such assessment. The novelty and assumed main benefits of using robots for assessment are their ability to assess 'severely affected' patients by providing assistance-as-needed, as well as to provide consistent perturbations during standing and walking while measuring the patient's reactions. We provide a classification of robotic devices on three aspects relevant to their potential application for balance assessment: 1) how the device interacts with the body, 2) in what sense the device is mobile, and 3) on what surface the person stands or walks when using the device. As examples, nine types of robotic devices are described, classified and evaluated for their suitability for balance assessment. Two example cases of robotic assessments based on perturbations during walking are presented. We conclude that robotic devices are promising and can become useful and relevant tools for assessment of balance in patients with neurological disorders, both in research and in clinical use. Robotic assessment holds the promise to provide increasingly detailed assessment that allows to individually tailor rehabilitation training, which may eventually improve training effectiveness.
Language
  • English
Open access status
gold
Identifiers
Persistent URL
https://sonar.ch/global/documents/36728
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