Low-Cost Modular Robotic System for Neurological Rehabilitative Training

This paper presents the concept, development and testing of RoboTrainer-Light, a low-cost yet effective and usable training robot designed for use in the home. Although designed for simplicity and economic mass production, it is believed to enable a large section of patients with partial paralysis to perform effective neurological training in their own home. The robot consists of a wire-pulling motor combined with a sensitive force sensor, controlled by an ultra-high-bandwidth hybrid controller, allowing any combination of tension-, velocity- and length- control of the wire. The controller architecture is distributed and modular, allowing up to 15 wire pulling motors to be combined in parallel kinematic configurations. Compared to other rehabilitative robots, RoboTrainer-Light represents one of the simplest and cheapest possible configurations, which is further emphasized by our deliberate choice of low-cost components and technologies. Preliminary tests indicate that RoboTrainer-Light can support a large group of post-stroke and post-accident victims in effective neurological training in their own home or in local clinics, at an estimated cost lower than 500USD per unit for a high production volume.