Robotics and VR systems are uniquely suited to provide functional assistance with mobility and activities of daily living, especially for patients with motor and sensory disorders of the central nervous system, stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and cerebral palsy. Compiling both current knowledge and key challenges of robotic rehabilitation in one convenient text, Robotics in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is a comprehensive, easy-to-follow resource on robotic and VR systems in all areas of medical rehabilitation. Covers the impact of robotics and artificial intelligence on all aspects of health care delivery. Focuses on the key technologies in developing robotics for a wide range of medical rehabilitation activities, including neuroprosthesis applications of robotic exoskeletons and brain-controlled assistive robotics and prosthetics. Addresses artificial intelligence, medical robotics in acute care medicine, and robots on the battlefield and in space travel. Contains chapters on the economics of the robotic industry and the future of robots in medicine. Ideal for physiatrists and PM&R residents and fellows; clinicians in orthopaedics, sports medicine, spinal cord injury, and occupational therapy; and specialists working with orthotics and prosthetics.

Soft Robotics in Rehabilitation explores the specific branch of robotics dealing with developing robots from compliant and flexible materials. Unlike robots built from rigid materials, soft robots behave the way in which living organs move and adapt to their surroundings and allow for increased flexibility and adaptability for the user. This book is a comprehensive reference discussing the application of soft robotics for rehabilitation of upper and lower extremities separated by various limbs. The book examines various techniques applied in soft robotics, including the development of soft actuators, rigid actuators with soft behavior, intrinsically soft actuators, and soft sensors. This book is perfect for graduate students, researchers, and professional engineers in robotics, control, mechanical, and electrical engineering who are interested in soft robotics, artificial intelligence, rehabilitation therapy, and medical and rehabilitation device design and manufacturing. - Outlines the application of soft robotic techniques to design platforms that provide rehabilitation therapy for disabled persons to help improve their motor functions - Discusses the application of soft robotics for rehabilitation of upper and lower extremities separated by various limbs - Offers readers the ability to find soft robotics devices, methods, and results for any limb, and then compare the results with other options provided in the book

Rehabilitation Robotics gives an introduction and overview of all areas of rehabilitation robotics, perfect for anyone new to the field. It also summarizes available robot technologies and their application to different pathologies for skilled researchers and clinicians. The editors have been involved in the development and application of robotic devices for neurorehabilitation for more than 15 years. This experience using several commercial devices for robotic rehabilitation has enabled them to develop the know-how and expertise necessary to guide those seeking comprehensive understanding of this topic. Each chapter is written by an expert in the respective field, pulling in perspectives from both engineers and clinicians to present a multi-disciplinary view. The book targets the implementation of efficient robot strategies to facilitate the re-acquisition of motor skills. This technology incorporates the outcomes of behavioral studies on motor learning and its neural correlates into the design, implementation and validation of robot agents that behave as ‘optimal’ trainers, efficiently exploiting the structure and plasticity of the human sensorimotor systems. In this context, human-robot interaction plays a paramount role, at both the physical and cognitive level, toward achieving a symbiotic interaction where the human body and the robot can benefit from each other’s dynamics. Provides a comprehensive review of recent developments in the area of rehabilitation robotics Includes information on both therapeutic and assistive robots Focuses on the state-of-the-art and representative advancements in the design, control, analysis, implementation and validation of rehabilitation robotic systems

Physical medicine and rehabilitation, also called physiatry, aims to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to people with physical impairments or disabilities. Rehabilitation robotics is an area of research dedicated to understanding and enhancing physiatry through the use of robotic devices. It involves the development of robotic devices to assist different sensorimotor functions, different schemes of assisting therapeutic training, and assessment of patient's ability to move. Robots are used mainly as therapy aids instead of assistive devices in rehabilitation robotics. Some of the techniques used within this field are active assisted exercise, active resistive exercise and adaptive exercise. This book elucidates new techniques and their applications in a multidisciplinary manner. The ever growing need of advanced technology is the reason that has fueled the research in the field of rehabilitation robotics in recent times. As this field is emerging at a rapid pace, the contents of this book will help the readers understand the technology and applications of the subject.

Neuro-robotics is one of the most multidisciplinary fields of the last decades, fusing information and knowledge from neuroscience, engineering and computer science. This book focuses on the results from the strategic alliance between Neuroscience and Robotics that help the scientific community to better understand the brain as well as design robotic devices and algorithms for interfacing humans and robots. The first part of the book introduces the idea of neuro-robotics, by presenting state-of-the-art bio-inspired devices. The second part of the book focuses on human-machine interfaces for performance augmentation, which can seen as augmentation of abilities of healthy subjects or assistance in case of the mobility impaired. The third part of the book focuses on the inverse problem, i.e. how we can use robotic devices that physically interact with the human body, in order (a) to understand human motor control and (b) to provide therapy to neurologically impaired people or people with disabilities.

Guest edited by Drs. Joel Stein and Leroy R. Lindsay, this issue of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics will cover several key areas of interest related to Technological Advances in Rehabilitation. This issue is one of four selected each year by our series Consulting Editor, Dr. Santos Martinez of the Campbell Clinic. Articles in this issue include, but are not limited to: Functional Electrical Stimulation; Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation; Spinal Cord Stimulation for Motor Rehabilitation; Robotics for Limb Rehabilitation; Virtual Reality and Gaming; New Technologies in Prosthetics and Amputee Rehabilitation; Regenerative Medicine; Smart Homes and other Technology for Adaptive Living; Big Data and Rehabilitation; and Telemedicine in Rehabilitation.