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Actuators
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Actuators and Robotic Devices for Rehabilitation and Assistance
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Actuators and Robotic Devices for Rehabilitation and Assistance

A special issue of Actuators (ISSN 2076-0825). This special issue belongs to the section "Actuators for Medical Instruments".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2025 | Viewed by 5227

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Monica Tiboni

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
Interests: robotics; mechatronic systems; rehabilitation robotics; mechatronic systems diagnostics and prognostics; vibration controlling; actuators; soft actuation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Monica Malvezzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics, University of Siena, Via Roma 56, 53100 Siena, Italy
Interests: grippers; haptic interfaces; biomechanics; dexterous manipulators; human-robot interaction; manipulator kinematics; medical robotics; patient rehabilitation; wearable robot; exoskeleton device; actuators
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Maria Cristina Valigi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, University of Perugia, 06125 Perugia, Italy
Interests: tribology; robotics; mechanism theory; multibody dynamics; grasping and manipulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Robotic rehabilitation offers repeated, adaptable, and personalized exercises that supplement the work of physiotherapists. Robotic devices in rehabilitation offer several notable benefits. These include intense repetitive training, the ability to perform rehabilitation at home with remote control, automatic adjustment of device support based on the patient's progressive recovery, increased patient engagement through computerized activities presented as games, and objective monitoring of progress through outcome assessment. Assistive robotic devices may efficiently aid the elderly or permanently damaged individuals in performing essential activities of daily living with increased autonomy, aiming to mitigate impairments or partial functional impairment.

The actuation subsystem of a rehabilitative or assistive device is responsible for generating mechanical power at the joint level. It encompasses the power source, actuator type, and transmission design options. New innovative solutions of actuation have been specially created for the fields of robotic and assistive rehabilitation.

In this Special Issue, we would like to present recent research findings and novel approaches in the field of Actuators and Robotic Devices for Rehabilitation and Assistance. This includes but is not limited to:

  • Robotic rehabilitation devices;
  • Robotic assistance devices;
  • Rehabilitative or assistive device control;
  • Rehabilitative or assistive actuation;
  • Exoskeletons for rehabilitation or assistance;
  • End-effector robots;
  • Service robotics;
  • Series-elastic actuators;
  • Pneumatic artificial muscles;
  • Soft actuators;
  • Supernumerary extra limbs;
  • Wearable robots.

Dr. Monica Tiboni
Dr. Monica Malvezzi
Dr. Maria Cristina Valigi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Actuators is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • rehabilitative robotics
  • assistive robotics
  • exoskeleton robots
  • end-effector robots
  • device control
  • device actuation

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 6068 KiB  
Article
A Realistic Model Reference Computed Torque Control Strategy for Human Lower Limb Exoskeletons
by Sk K. Hasan
Actuators 2024, 13(11), 445; https://doi.org/10.3390/act13110445 - 7 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 769
Abstract
Exoskeleton robots have become a promising tool in neurorehabilitation, offering effective physical therapy and continuous recovery monitoring. The success of these therapies relies on precise motion control systems. Although computed torque control based on inverse dynamics provides a robust theoretical foundation, its practical [...] Read more.
Exoskeleton robots have become a promising tool in neurorehabilitation, offering effective physical therapy and continuous recovery monitoring. The success of these therapies relies on precise motion control systems. Although computed torque control based on inverse dynamics provides a robust theoretical foundation, its practical application in rehabilitation is limited by its sensitivity to model accuracy, making it less effective when dealing with unpredictable payloads. To overcome these limitations, this study introduces a novel realistic model reference computed torque controller that accounts for parametric uncertainties while optimizing computational efficiency. A dynamic model of a seven-degrees-of-freedom human lower limb exoskeleton is developed, incorporating a realistic joint friction model to accurately reflect the physical behavior of the robot. To reduce computational demands, the control system is split into two loops: a slower loop that predicts joint torque requirements based on reference trajectories and robot dynamics, and a faster PID loop that corrects trajectory tracking errors. Coriolis and centrifugal forces are excluded from the model due to their minimal impact on system dynamics relative to their computational cost. The experimental results show high accuracy in trajectory tracking, and statistical analyses confirm the controller’s robustness and effectiveness in handling parametric uncertainties. This approach presents a promising advancement for improving the stability and performance of exoskeleton-based neurorehabilitation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Actuators and Robotic Devices for Rehabilitation and Assistance)
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15 pages, 6630 KiB  
Article
An Actively Vision-Assisted Low-Load Wearable Hand Function Mirror Rehabilitation System
by Zheyu Chen, Huanjun Wang, Yubing Yang, Lichao Chen, Zhilong Yan, Guoli Xiao, Yi Sun, Songsheng Zhu, Bin Liu, Liang Li and Jianqing Li
Actuators 2024, 13(9), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/act13090368 - 19 Sep 2024
Viewed by 850
Abstract
The restoration of fine motor function in the hand is crucial for stroke survivors with hemiplegia to reintegrate into daily life and presents a significant challenge in post-stroke rehabilitation. Current mirror rehabilitation systems based on wearable devices require medical professionals or caregivers to [...] Read more.
The restoration of fine motor function in the hand is crucial for stroke survivors with hemiplegia to reintegrate into daily life and presents a significant challenge in post-stroke rehabilitation. Current mirror rehabilitation systems based on wearable devices require medical professionals or caregivers to assist patients in donning sensor gloves on the healthy side, thus hindering autonomous training, increasing labor costs, and imposing psychological burdens on patients. This study developed a low-load wearable hand function mirror rehabilitation robotic system based on visual gesture recognition. The system incorporates an active visual apparatus capable of adjusting its position and viewpoint autonomously, enabling the subtle monitoring of the healthy side’s gesture throughout the rehabilitation process. Consequently, patients only need to wear the device on their impaired hand to complete the mirror training, facilitating independent rehabilitation exercises. An algorithm based on hand key point gesture recognition was developed, which is capable of automatically identifying eight distinct gestures. Additionally, the system supports remote audio–video interaction during training sessions, addressing the lack of professional guidance in independent rehabilitation. A prototype of the system was constructed, a dataset for hand gesture recognition was collected, and the system’s performance as well as functionality were rigorously tested. The results indicate that the gesture recognition accuracy exceeds 90% under ten-fold cross-validation. The system enables operators to independently complete hand rehabilitation training, while the active visual system accommodates a patient’s rehabilitation needs across different postures. This study explores methods for autonomous hand function rehabilitation training, thereby offering valuable insights for future research on hand function recovery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Actuators and Robotic Devices for Rehabilitation and Assistance)
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16 pages, 4405 KiB  
Article
Pneumatically Actuated Torsion Motor for the Transverse Rehabilitation of the Neck Joint
by Sarah Mareş, Andrea Deaconescu and Tudor Deaconescu
Actuators 2024, 13(9), 363; https://doi.org/10.3390/act13090363 - 18 Sep 2024
Viewed by 807
Abstract
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders affect a large number of people, diminishing inter alia, their workplace efficiency. For this reason, rehabilitation procedures and equipment are called for, designed to expedite the swift reintegration of patients into daily activity. Within this context, this paper proposes a [...] Read more.
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders affect a large number of people, diminishing inter alia, their workplace efficiency. For this reason, rehabilitation procedures and equipment are called for, designed to expedite the swift reintegration of patients into daily activity. Within this context, this paper proposes a novel constructive solution of a device that ensures rehabilitation through the transverse passive mobilization of the neck joint. This paper introduces a torsion motor actuated by two pneumatic muscles that ensure sufficient adaptability of the device to, for example, conduct patient exercise within the boundaries of pain supportability. Based on the research results, recommendations are offered for the optimum operation of the rehabilitation equipment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Actuators and Robotic Devices for Rehabilitation and Assistance)
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14 pages, 4053 KiB  
Article
Research on Lower Limb Exoskeleton Trajectory Tracking Control Based on the Dung Beetle Optimizer and Feedforward Proportional–Integral–Derivative Controller
by Changming Li, Haiting Di, Yongwang Liu and Ke Liu
Actuators 2024, 13(9), 344; https://doi.org/10.3390/act13090344 - 6 Sep 2024
Viewed by 798
Abstract
The lower limb exoskeleton (LLE) plays an important role in production activities requiring assistance and load bearing. One of the challenges is to propose a control strategy that can meet the requirements of LLE trajectory tracking in different scenes. Therefore, this study proposes [...] Read more.
The lower limb exoskeleton (LLE) plays an important role in production activities requiring assistance and load bearing. One of the challenges is to propose a control strategy that can meet the requirements of LLE trajectory tracking in different scenes. Therefore, this study proposes a control strategy (DBO–FPID) that combines the dung beetle optimizer (DBO) with feedforward proportional–integral–derivative controller (FPID) to improve the performance of LLE trajectory tracking in different scenes. The Lagrange method is used to establish the dynamic model of the LLE rod, and it is combined with the dynamic equations of the motor to obtain the LLE transfer function model. Based on the LLE model and target trajectory compensation, the feedforward controller is designed to achieve trajectory tracking in different scenes. To obtain the best performance of the controller, the DBO is utilized to perform offline parameter tuning of the feedforward controller and PID controller. The proposed control strategy is compared with the DBO tuning PID (DBO–PID), particle swarm optimizer (PSO) tuning FPID (PSO–FPID), and PSO tuning PID (PSO–PID) in simulation and joint module experiments. The results show that DBO–FPID has the best accuracy and robustness in trajectory tracking in different scenes, which has the smallest sum of absolute error (IAE), mean absolute error (MEAE), maximum absolute error (MAE), and root mean square error (RMSE). In addition, the MEAE of DBO–FPID is lower than 1.5 degrees in unloaded tests and lower than 3.6 degrees in the hip load tests, with only a few iterations, showing great practical potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Actuators and Robotic Devices for Rehabilitation and Assistance)
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15 pages, 2748 KiB  
Article
A New Variable-Stiffness Body Weight Support System Driven by Two Active Closed-Loop Controlled Drives
by Xiao Li, Jizheng Zhong, Songyang An and Yizhe Huang
Actuators 2024, 13(8), 304; https://doi.org/10.3390/act13080304 - 8 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1243
Abstract
Body weight support (BWS) systems are crucial in gait rehabilitation for individuals incapacitated due to injuries or medical conditions. Traditional BWS systems typically employ either static mass–rope or dynamic mass–spring–damper configurations, which can result in inadequate support stiffness, thereby leading to compromised gait [...] Read more.
Body weight support (BWS) systems are crucial in gait rehabilitation for individuals incapacitated due to injuries or medical conditions. Traditional BWS systems typically employ either static mass–rope or dynamic mass–spring–damper configurations, which can result in inadequate support stiffness, thereby leading to compromised gait training. Additionally, these systems often lack the flexibility for easy customization of stiffness, which is vital for personalized rehabilitation treatments. A novel BWS system with online variable stiffness is introduced in this study. This system incorporates a drive mechanism governed by admittance control that dynamically adjusts the stiffness by modulating the tension of a rope wrapped around a drum. An automated control algorithm is integrated to manage a smart anti-gravity dynamic suspension system, which ensures consistent and precise weight unloading adjustments throughout rehabilitation sessions. Walking experiments were performed to evaluate the displacement and load variations within the suspension ropes, thereby validating the variable-stiffness capability of the system. The findings suggest that the online variable-stiffness BWS system can reliably alter the stiffness levels and that it exhibits robust performance, significantly enhancing the effectiveness of gait rehabilitation. The newly developed BWS system represents a significant advancement in personalized gait rehabilitation, offering real-time stiffness adjustments and ongoing weight support customization. It ensures dependable control and robust operation, marking a significant step forward in tailored therapeutic interventions for gait rehabilitation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Actuators and Robotic Devices for Rehabilitation and Assistance)
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