IIT Jodhpur researchers have developed robotic trainers for lower limb rehabilitation
October 14, 2022
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur has developed a robotic trainer for physiotherapy-assisted lower limb rehabilitation. According to a press release issued by the institute, IIT Jodhpur researcher Dr. Jayant Kumar Mohanta, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, and other co-researchers have created robotic trainers that can be used in physiotherapy to treat lower limb disabilities.
Limb disability is a serious disease that affects Indians and is caused by age-related ailments, physical deformities, accidents, strokes, polio, and other factors.
In robotic rehabilitation, the therapist's role is limited to supervision and device setup.
The majority of existing robotic systems only treat patients by performing motions in the sagittal plane. Sagittal movement is insufficient for complete limb movement; movements in the transverse (upper and lower body) and coronal (front and back) planes are also required.
The IIT Jodhpur researcher proposed a robot manipulator arrangement capable of providing ankle motion in all three planes, namely the sagittal, transverse, and coronal planes.
"If the proper sequence of therapies is followed, complete rehabilitation is possible." Robots will be able to do it without tiring," Dr Mohanta, Assistant Professor at IIT Jodhpur, explained.
The robot trainer's utility was demonstrated using computer-based simulations and a motion control scheme.
"The robotic trainer we designed will aid in the provision of physiotherapy to paralytic patients and those with spinal cord injuries that have disrupted their lower limb functions," said the study's lead author.
The trainer has a simple conceptual design and a modular mechanical configuration that is simple to repair and use.
IIT Jodhpur has designed an MTech Programme in Robotics and Mobility System to meet the growing demand for engineers with diverse backgrounds in the field of robotics and mobility systems, as well as to support relevant research and development. IDRP Robotics and Mobility Systems provides this programme.
