Effect of a sensory-enhancing robot-aided rehabilitation system with tendon vibration

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24500631
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Tokyo Women's Medical University (2015); University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan (2012-2014)
• Principal Investigator: Wada Futoshi 東京女子医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (10341512)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): WADA Chikamune 九州工業大学, 生命体工学研究科, 准教授 (50281837)
• Research Collaborator: MATSUZAWA Takumi ; YOSHIKAWA Mari ; NAKATSURU Masataka ; NAKAYAMA Yoko
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 振動刺激 / ロボット / リハビリテーション / 受動運動 / 能動アシスト運動 / 脳賦活 / 回内外運動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study was to develop a sensory-enhancing robot-aided rehabilitation system with tendon vibration for the upper limbs. The pilot study included 5 healthy subjects. Vibration stimuli at 100-150 Hz delivered to the dominant arm pronator enhanced the sensation of supination movement during robot-aided forearm pronation/supination exercise. Next study was performed to determine whether vibration could change a cortical activation pattern during robot-aided forearm pronation/supination in normal healthy subjects. Vibration stimuli at 100-Hz delivered to the pronator during supination of the forearm. We measured the cortical activation of the motor area during robot-aided exercise by means of a near-infrared spectroscopic imaging system. Vibration stimuli enhanced oxy-Hb increases in 4 of 6 subjects in the active-assisted mode, while the enhancement in oxy-Hb increases was observed only in 2 of 6 subjects in the passive mode.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション医学