A wearable mechatronic brace for arm rehabilitation

In recent years, the possibility of using smart technologies to enhance rehabilitative therapies has become a reality. Smart technologies can adjust their functionality based on real-time performance to provide the most effective therapy. This paper presents the design, development and testing of a wearable mechatronic brace created to assist in upper limb rehabilitation. The purpose of the smart brace is to provide safe therapy of musculoskeletal disorders, in particular brachial plexus injuries. A control system has been developed that facilitates the retraining of the biceps for individuals who have suffered brachial plexus nerve damage. Electromyography (EMG) data for flexion and extension of the elbow were recorded from three healthy subjects and used to scale velocity profiles. The experiments assessed the performance of the smart brace in its ability to reproduce a motion, to compensate for the effect of muscle disability and to detect fatigue. The results showed that the control system was able to adjust velocities to accommodate for disability or fatigue. This initial implementation provides a control model and logic from which the brace can be improved. Future testing of the brace using subjects with a brachial plexus injury will help solidify the techniques used for brace control.