Post-Stroke Rehabilitation Using Exoskeleton Approach in Mirror Therapy Technique

Abstract

Mirror therapy is a stroke rehabilitation technique for affected weak upper limb individuals involving mirror-matching movement with a mirror to create visual feedback that tricks the brain into perceiving motion in the affected limb, thus stimulating neuroplasticity. However, mirror therapy known as conventional therapy struggles to promote neuroplasticity as the therapy lacks the principles such as intensity, repetition, task-specific, and biofeedback. This abstract introduces a system integration that incorporates the mirror therapy principle known as Malaysia Exoskeletal Robotic Assisted Therapy (MyERAT). It integrates a sensor glove and a servo glove worn onto the person’s affected arm to enhance mobility and promote neuro recovery through visual feedback obtained from a mirror reflection within a foldable mirror box. The unaffected hand movement provides motion to manage the potentiometer sensors to control the exoskeleton that supports the affected hand movement in the system. Delay time analysis is conducted to test the system's reliability for rehabilitation. The system movements analysis is recorded and uploaded into Kinovea software to obtain delay time results. Findings show the delay time falls within 300 ms, which is an acceptable range for a robotic hand, thus fulfills the rehabilitation principles. The inclusion of a robotic exoskeleton in conjunction with mirror therapy has the potential to enhance the neuroplasticity process and accelerate neuro recovery in post-stroke survivors by providing two-way feedback between the brain and the affected hand.