Faculty Collaboration Database

Feasibility study of TheraDrive: a low-cost game-based environment for the delivery of upper arm stroke therapy. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2006;2006:695-8

Date

10/20/2007

Pubmed ID

17946851

DOI

10.1109/IEMBS.2006.259971

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-34047191463 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   11 Citations

Abstract

Rising healthcare costs combined with an increase in the number of people living with disabilities due to stroke have created a need for affordable stroke therapy that can be administered in both home and clinical environments. Studies show that robot and computer-assisted devices are promising tools for rehabilitating persons with impairment and disabilities due to stroke. Studies also have shown that highly motivating therapy produces neuromotor relearning that aids the rehabilitative process. Combining these concepts, this paper discusses TheraDrive, a simple, but novel robotic system for more motivating stroke therapy. We conducted two feasibility studies. The paper discusses these studies. Findings demonstrate the ability of the system to grade therapy and the sensitivity of its metrics to the level of motor function in the impaired arm. In addition, findings confirm the ability of the system to administer fun therapy leading to improved motor performance on steering tasks. However, further work is needed to improve the system's ability to increase motor function in the impaired arm.

Author List

Johnson MJ, Ramachandran B, Paranjape RP, Kosasih JB

Author

Judith B. Kosasih MD Professor in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Arm
Equipment Design
Equipment Failure Analysis
Feasibility Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Movement Disorders
Self Care
Stroke
Stroke Rehabilitation
Therapy, Computer-Assisted
Treatment Outcome
User-Computer Interface
Video Games