Razvoj adaptivnega okolja navidezne resničnosti za izvajanje robotsko podprte rehabilitacije (Slovene)

Area of cognitive robotics is high priority area of research in the field of robotics. It is also included in the EU 7th FP (under the horizontal track ICT - Cognitive robotics). On the other hand the area of robotically-assisted neurological rehabilitation is a high-priority field of research in rehabilitation medicine. The project was directed into both of these interdisciplinary research fields. From the state of the art it follows that there exists a wide consensus that 1.) rehabilitation robotics will play in the future the key role in neurological rehabilitation and 2.) that the existing control of rehabilitation robots as well as the existing treatment protocols are far from being optimal. The present project addressed both of the two issues and was aimed at development and evaluation of adaptive rehabilitation robot control as well as adaptive and dynamically changing VR environment. In this respect the results of the project greatly contribute to and further our current understanding on ways how rehabilitation robotics and VR environments can be used in neurological rehabilitation.

Due to ageing population we can expect in the near future an increase in demand for effective and financially sustainable rehabilitation services. The results of the project are directly relevant for setting-up a new clinical activity based on rehabilitation robotics at the University rehabilitation institute. Furthermore, since our robotic platform, haptic robot UHD, is designed in such a way that presents a low-cost solution, it is envisaged that combined with the new algorithms of adaptive impedance control and adaptively changing VR-based training tasks, the resulting system may be used to deliver therapy through telerehabilitation-based service. At the University rehabilitation institute we have already implemented in our Smarthome IRIS a pilot telerehabilitation service of balance training during standing. The developed communication solutions and trainee/therapist interaction protocols could be effectively used also with the system for upper extremity training that is the subject of present proposal. Development of telerehabilitation services that are affordable in terms of initial investment into the technological equipment have tremendous potential for directly saving resources in public healthcare sector by directly reducing the healthcare costs associated with the number and duration of hospitalizations and visits at clinicians that are presently required. The project results may be directly applied to fulfill one of the guidelines of the Resolution on the national healthcare plan in Republic of Slovenia for period 2008 – 2013, which requires transfer of 20 – 30% of physical and occupational therapy services to be delivered at homes of users.