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Otálora S, Segatto MEV, Monteiro ME, Múnera M, Díaz CAR, Cifuentes CA. Data-Driven Approach for Upper Limb Fatigue Estimation Based on Wearable Sensors. Sensors (Basel) 2023; 23:9291. [PMID: 38005677 PMCID: PMC10674769 DOI: 10.3390/s23229291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Muscle fatigue is defined as a reduced ability to maintain maximal strength during voluntary contraction. It is associated with musculoskeletal disorders that affect workers performing repetitive activities, affecting their performance and well-being. Although electromyography remains the gold standard for measuring muscle fatigue, its limitations in long-term work motivate the use of wearable devices. This article proposes a computational model for estimating muscle fatigue using wearable and non-invasive devices, such as Optical Fiber Sensors (OFSs) and Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) along the subjective Borg scale. Electromyography (EMG) sensors are used to observe their importance in estimating muscle fatigue and comparing performance in different sensor combinations. This study involves 30 subjects performing a repetitive lifting activity with their dominant arm until reaching muscle fatigue. Muscle activity, elbow angles, and angular and linear velocities, among others, are measured to extract multiple features. Different machine learning algorithms obtain a model that estimates three fatigue states (low, moderate and high). Results showed that between the machine learning classifiers, the LightGBM presented an accuracy of 96.2% in the classification task using all of the sensors with 33 features and 95.4% using only OFS and IMU sensors with 13 features. This demonstrates that elbow angles, wrist velocities, acceleration variations, and compensatory neck movements are essential for estimating muscle fatigue. In conclusion, the resulting model can be used to estimate fatigue during heavy lifting in work environments, having the potential to monitor and prevent muscle fatigue during long working shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Otálora
- Telecommunications Laboratory (LabTel), Electrical Engineering Department, Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 290075-910, Brazil; (S.O.); (M.E.V.S.); (C.A.R.D.)
| | - Marcelo E. V. Segatto
- Telecommunications Laboratory (LabTel), Electrical Engineering Department, Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 290075-910, Brazil; (S.O.); (M.E.V.S.); (C.A.R.D.)
| | | | - Marcela Múnera
- Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK;
| | - Camilo A. R. Díaz
- Telecommunications Laboratory (LabTel), Electrical Engineering Department, Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 290075-910, Brazil; (S.O.); (M.E.V.S.); (C.A.R.D.)
| | - Carlos A. Cifuentes
- Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK;
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Ramos O, de Arco L, Cifuentes CA, Moazen M, Wurdemann H, Múnera M. Mechanical assessment of novel compliant mechanisms for underactuated prosthetic hands. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:985901. [PMID: 37901838 PMCID: PMC10602892 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.985901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper proposes novel compliant mechanisms for constructing hand prostheses based on soft robotics. Two models of prosthetic hands are developed in this work. Three mechanical evaluations are performed to determine the suitability of the two designs for carrying out activities of daily living (ADLs). The first test measures the grip force that the prosthesis can generate on objects. The second determines the energy required and dissipated from the prosthesis to operate. The third test identifies the maximum traction force that the prosthesis can support. The tests showed that the PrHand1 prosthesis has a maximum grip force of 23.38 ± 1.5 N, the required energy is 0.76 ± 0.13 J, and the dissipated energy is 0.21 ± 0.17 J. It supports a traction force of 173.31 ± 5.7 N. The PrHand2 prosthesis has a maximum grip force of 36.13 ± 2.3 N, the required energy is 1.28 ± 0.13 J, the dissipated energy is 0.96 ± 0.12 J, and it supports a traction force of 78.48 ± 0 N. In conclusion, the PrHand1 prosthesis has a better performance in terms of energy and tensile force supported. The difference between the energy and traction force results is related to two design features of the PrHand2: fully silicone-coated fingers and a unifying mechanism that requires more force on the tendons to close the prosthesis. The grip force of the PrHand2 prosthesis was more robust than the PrHand1 due to its silicone coating, which allowed for an improved grip.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orion Ramos
- School of Engineering, Science and Technology, Universidad Del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Laura de Arco
- Telecommunications Laboratory (LABTEL), Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Espirito Santo (UFES), Vitória, Brazil
| | - Carlos A. Cifuentes
- School of Engineering, Science and Technology, Universidad Del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia
- Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Mehran Moazen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Helge Wurdemann
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota, Colombia
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Maldonado-Mejía JC, Múnera M, Diaz CAR, Wurdemann H, Moazen M, Pontes MJ, Vieira Segatto ME, Monteiro ME, Cifuentes CA. A fabric-based soft hand exoskeleton for assistance: the ExHand Exoskeleton. Front Neurorobot 2023; 17:1091827. [PMID: 37396029 PMCID: PMC10308009 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2023.1091827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The rise of soft robotics has driven the development of devices for assistance in activities of daily living (ADL). Likewise, different types of actuation have been developed for safer human interaction. Recently, textile-based pneumatic actuation has been introduced in hand exoskeletons for features such as biocompatibility, flexibility, and durability. These devices have demonstrated their potential use in assisting ADLs, such as the degrees of freedom assisted, the force exerted, or the inclusion of sensors. However, performing ADLs requires the use of different objects, so exoskeletons must provide the ability to grasp and maintain stable contact with a variety of objects to lead to the successful development of ADLs. Although textile-based exoskeletons have demonstrated significant advancements, the ability of these devices to maintain stable contact with a variety of objects commonly used in ADLs has yet to be fully evaluated. Materials and methods This paper presents the development and experimental validation in healthy users of a fabric-based soft hand exoskeleton through a grasping performance test using The Anthropomorphic Hand Assessment Protocol (AHAP), which assesses eight types of grasping with 24 objects of different shapes, sizes, textures, weights, and rigidities, and two standardized tests used in the rehabilitation processes of post- stroke patients. Results and discussion A total of 10 healthy users (45.50 ± 14.93 years old) participated in this study. The results indicate that the device can assist in developing ADLs by evaluating the eight types of grasps of the AHAP. A score of 95.76 ± 2.90% out of 100% was obtained for the Maintaining Score, indicating that the ExHand Exoskeleton can maintain stable contact with various daily living objects. In addition, the results of the user satisfaction questionnaire indicated a positive mean score of 4.27 ± 0.34 on a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan C. Maldonado-Mejía
- Telecommunications Laboratory (LabTel), Electrical Engineering Department, Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória, Brazil
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
- Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Camilo A. R. Diaz
- Telecommunications Laboratory (LabTel), Electrical Engineering Department, Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória, Brazil
| | - Helge Wurdemann
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mehran Moazen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria José Pontes
- Telecommunications Laboratory (LabTel), Electrical Engineering Department, Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Eduardo Vieira Segatto
- Telecommunications Laboratory (LabTel), Electrical Engineering Department, Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória, Brazil
| | | | - Carlos A. Cifuentes
- Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom
- School of Engineering, Science and Technology, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
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Irfan B, Céspedes N, Casas J, Senft E, Gutiérrez LF, Rincon-Roncancio M, Cifuentes CA, Belpaeme T, Múnera M. Personalised socially assistive robot for cardiac rehabilitation: Critical reflections on long-term interactions in the real world. User Model User-adapt Interact 2023; 33:497-544. [PMID: 35874292 PMCID: PMC9294801 DOI: 10.1007/s11257-022-09323-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Lack of motivation and low adherence rates are critical concerns of long-term rehabilitation programmes, such as cardiac rehabilitation. Socially assistive robots are known to be effective in improving motivation in therapy. However, over longer durations, generic and repetitive behaviours by the robot often result in a decrease in motivation and engagement, which can be overcome by personalising the interaction, such as recognising users, addressing them with their name, and providing feedback on their progress and adherence. We carried out a real-world clinical study, lasting 2.5 years with 43 patients to evaluate the effects of using a robot and personalisation in cardiac rehabilitation. Due to dropouts and other factors, 26 patients completed the programme. The results derived from these patients suggest that robots facilitate motivation and adherence, enable prompt detection of critical conditions by clinicians, and improve the cardiovascular functioning of the patients. Personalisation is further beneficial when providing high-intensity training, eliciting and maintaining engagement (as measured through gaze and social interactions) and motivation throughout the programme. However, relying on full autonomy for personalisation in a real-world environment resulted in sensor and user recognition failures, which caused negative user perceptions and lowered the perceived utility of the robot. Nonetheless, personalisation was positively perceived, suggesting that potential drawbacks need to be weighed against various benefits of the personalised interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahar Irfan
- Centre for Robotics and Neural Systems, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
- Present Address: Evinoks Service Equipment Industry and Commerce Inc., Bursa, Turkey
| | - Nathalia Céspedes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
- Present Address: Department of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Jonathan Casas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
- Present Address: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY USA
| | - Emmanuel Senft
- Centre for Robotics and Neural Systems, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
- Present Address: Department of Computer Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI USA
| | | | | | - Carlos A. Cifuentes
- Present Address: School of Engineering, Science and Technology, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Tony Belpaeme
- Centre for Robotics and Neural Systems, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
- IDLab-imec, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
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Sánchez-Manchola M, Arciniegas-Mayag L, Múnera M, Bourgain M, Provot T, Cifuentes CA. Effects of stance control via hidden Markov model-based gait phase detection on healthy users of an active hip-knee exoskeleton. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1021525. [PMID: 37101752 PMCID: PMC10123285 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1021525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: In the past years, robotic lower-limb exoskeletons have become a powerful tool to help clinicians improve the rehabilitation process of patients who have suffered from neurological disorders, such as stroke, by applying intensive and repetitive training. However, active subject participation is considered to be an important feature to promote neuroplasticity during gait training. To this end, the present study presents the performance assessment of the AGoRA exoskeleton, a stance-controlled wearable device designed to assist overground walking by unilaterally actuating the knee and hip joints. Methods: The exoskeleton's control approach relies on an admittance controller, that varies the system impedance according to the gait phase detected through an adaptive method based on a hidden Markov model. This strategy seeks to comply with the assistance-as-needed rationale, i.e., an assistive device should only intervene when the patient is in need by applying Human-Robot interaction (HRI). As a proof of concept of such a control strategy, a pilot study comparing three experimental conditions (i.e., unassisted, transparent mode, and stance control mode) was carried out to evaluate the exoskeleton's short-term effects on the overground gait pattern of healthy subjects. Gait spatiotemporal parameters and lower-limb kinematics were captured using a 3D-motion analysis system Vicon during the walking trials. Results and Discussion: By having found only significant differences between the actuated conditions and the unassisted condition in terms of gait velocity (ρ = 0.048) and knee flexion (ρ ≤ 0.001), the performance of the AGoRA exoskeleton seems to be comparable to those identified in previous studies found in the literature. This outcome also suggests that future efforts should focus on the improvement of the fastening system in pursuit of kinematic compatibility and enhanced compliance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Sánchez-Manchola
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Luis Arciniegas-Mayag
- LabTel, Electrical Engineering Department at Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
- Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Maxime Bourgain
- EPF Graduate School of Engineering, Cachan, France
- Arts et Métiers Institute of Technology, Institut de Biomécanique Humaine Georges Charpak, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Provot
- EPF Graduate School of Engineering, Cachan, France
- Arts et Métiers Institute of Technology, Institut de Biomécanique Humaine Georges Charpak, Paris, France
| | - Carlos A. Cifuentes
- Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom
- School of Engineering, Science and Technology, Universidad Del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
- *Correspondence: Carlos A. Cifuentes ,
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Chavez Y, Garces J, Díaz R, Escobar M, Sanchez A, Buendía E, Múnera M. Molecular mimicry among human proteinase 3 and bacterial antigens: implications for development of c-ANCA associated vasculitis. Oxf Open Immunol 2022; 3:iqac009. [PMID: 36846563 PMCID: PMC9914470 DOI: 10.1093/oxfimm/iqac009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Wegener's granulomatosis is an autoimmune disease where autoantibodies target human autoantigen PR3, a serine protease locates on the neutrophil membrane. This disease affects blood small vessels and could be deadly. The origin of these autoantibodies is unknown, but infections have been implicated with autoimmune disease. In this study, we explored potential molecular mimicry between human PR3 and homologous pathogens through in silico analysis. Thirteen serine proteases from human pathogens (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Salmonella sp., Streptococcus suis, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Bacteroides fragilis, Enterobacter ludwigii, Vibrio alginolyticus, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) shared structural homology and amino acid sequence identity with human PR3. Epitope prediction found an only conserved epitope IVGG, located between residues 59-74. However, multiple alignments showed conserved regions that could be involved in cross-reactivity between human and pathogens serine proteases (90-98, 101-108, 162-169, 267 and 262 residues positions). In conclusion, this is the first report providing in silico evidence about the existence of molecular mimicry between human and pathogens serine proteases, that could explain the origins of autoantibodies found in patients suffering from Wegener's granulomatosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Chavez
- Medical Research Group (GINUMED) Universitary Corporation Rafael Nuñez, Centro Calle de la Soledad No. 5–70, Cartagena 130002, Colombia
| | - J Garces
- Medical Research Group (GINUMED) Universitary Corporation Rafael Nuñez, Centro Calle de la Soledad No. 5–70, Cartagena 130002, Colombia
| | - R Díaz
- Medical Research Group (GINUMED) Universitary Corporation Rafael Nuñez, Centro Calle de la Soledad No. 5–70, Cartagena 130002, Colombia
| | - M Escobar
- Catholic University of Manizales, Manizales, Av. Santander #No. 60, Manizales, Caldas 111321, Colombia
| | - A Sanchez
- Medical Research Group (GINUMED) Universitary Corporation Rafael Nuñez, Centro Calle de la Soledad No. 5–70, Cartagena 130002, Colombia,Group of Clinical and Experimental Allergy (GACE), IPS Universitaria, University of Antioquia, Cl 77 y 78 al norte, Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia
| | - E Buendía
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Cartagena, Cra. 50 #24120, Zaragocilla, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Cartagena 130014, Colombia,Clinical and Biomedical Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cartagena, Cra. 50 #24120, Zaragocilla, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Cartagena 130014, Colombia,Serena del Mar Hospital Center, VIA AL MAR KM 8, Cartagena de Indias, Provincia de Cartagena, Bolívar, Cartagena 130008, Colombia
| | - M Múnera
- Correspondence address. Medical Research Group (GINUMED) Universitary Corporation Rafael Nuñez, Centro Calle de la Soledad No. 5-70, Cartagena, Colombia. Tel: +57-300-529-5164. E-mail:
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Otálora S, Ballen-Moreno F, Arciniegas-Mayag L, Cifuentes CA, Múnera M. Biomechanical Effects of Adding an Ankle Soft Actuation in a Unilateral Exoskeleton. Biosensors (Basel) 2022; 12:bios12100873. [PMID: 36291010 PMCID: PMC9599070 DOI: 10.3390/bios12100873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Stroke disease leads to a partial or complete disability affecting muscle strength and functional mobility. Early rehabilitation sessions might induce neuroplasticity and restore the affected function or structure of the patients. Robotic rehabilitation minimizes the burden on therapists by providing repetitive and regularly monitored therapies. Commercial exoskeletons have been found to assist hip and knee motion. For instance, unilateral exoskeletons have the potential to become an effective training system for patients with hemiparesis. However, these robotic devices leave the ankle joint unassisted, essential in gait for body propulsion and weight-bearing. This article evaluates the effects of the robotic ankle orthosis T-FLEX during cooperative assistance with the AGoRA unilateral lower-limb exoskeleton (hip and knee actuation). This study involves nine subjects, measuring muscle activity and gait parameters such as stance and swing times. The results showed a reduction in muscle activity in the Biceps Femoris of 50%, Lateral Gastrocnemius of 59% and Tibialis Anterior of 35% when adding T-FLEX to the AGoRA unilateral lower-limb exoskeleton. No differences were found in gait parameters. Nevertheless, stability is preserved when comparing the two legs. Future works should focus on evaluating the devices in ground tests in healthy subjects and pathological patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Otálora
- Graduate Program of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Felipe Ballen-Moreno
- Robotics & Multibody Mechanics (R&MM) Research Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
- Flanders Make, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Luis Arciniegas-Mayag
- Graduate Program of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Carlos A. Cifuentes
- Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK
- School of Engineering, Science and Technology, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota 111711, Colombia
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota 111166, Colombia
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8
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Muñoz D, Barria P, Cifuentes CA, Aguilar R, Baleta K, Azorín JM, Múnera M. EEG Evaluation in a Neuropsychological Intervention Program Based on Virtual Reality in Adults with Parkinson's Disease. Biosensors (Basel) 2022; 12:bios12090751. [PMID: 36140136 PMCID: PMC9496185 DOI: 10.3390/bios12090751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, several strategies for treating neuropsychologic function loss in Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been proposed, such as physical activity performance and developing games to exercise the mind. However, few studies illustrate the incidence of these therapies in neuronal activity. This work aims to study the feasibility of a virtual reality-based program oriented to the cognitive functions’ rehabilitation of PD patients. For this, the study was divided into intervention with the program, acquisition of signals, data processing, and results analysis. The alpha and beta bands’ power behavior was determined by evaluating the electroencephalography (EEG) signals obtained during the execution of control tests and games of the “Hand Physics Lab” Software, from which five games related to attention, planning, and sequencing, concentration, and coordination were taken. Results showed the characteristic performance of the cerebral bands during resting states and activity states. In addition, it was determined that the beta band increased its activity in all the cerebral lobes in all the tested games (p-value < 0.05). On the contrary, just one game exhibited an adequate performance of the alpha band activity of the temporal and frontal lobes (p-value < 0.02). Furthermore, the visual attention and the capacity to process and interpret the information given by the surroundings was favored during the execution of trials (p-value < 0.05); thus, the efficacy of the virtual reality program to recover cognitive functions was verified. The study highlights implementing new technologies to rehabilitate people with neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Muñoz
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota 111166, Colombia
| | - Patricio Barria
- Club de Leones Cruz del Sur Rehabilitation Center, Punta Arenas 6210133, Chile
- Electrical Engineering Deparment, University of Magallanes, Punta Arenas 6210427, Chile
- Systems Engineering and Automation Department, Brain-Machine Interface Systems Lab, Miguel Hernández University of Elche UMH, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - Carlos A. Cifuentes
- Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK
- School of Engineering, Science and Technology, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111711, Colombia
- Correspondence:
| | - Rolando Aguilar
- Electrical Engineering Deparment, University of Magallanes, Punta Arenas 6210427, Chile
| | - Karim Baleta
- Club de Leones Cruz del Sur Rehabilitation Center, Punta Arenas 6210133, Chile
| | - José M. Azorín
- Systems Engineering and Automation Department, Brain-Machine Interface Systems Lab, Miguel Hernández University of Elche UMH, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota 111166, Colombia
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9
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Ramos O, Múnera M, Moazen M, Wurdemann H, Cifuentes CA. Assessment of Soft Actuators for Hand Exoskeletons: Pleated Textile Actuators and Fiber-Reinforced Silicone Actuators. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:924888. [PMID: 35903795 PMCID: PMC9315265 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.924888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Soft robotic approaches have been trialed for rehabilitation or assistive hand exoskeletons using silicone or textile actuators because they have more tolerance for alignment with biological joints than rigid exoskeletons. Textile actuators have not been previously evaluated, and this study compares the mechanical properties of textile and silicone actuators used in hand exoskeletons. The physical dimensions, the air pressure required to achieve a full bending motion, and the forces generated at the tip of the actuator were measured and compared. The results showed that the construction method of the silicone actuators is slower than the textile actuators, but it generates better dimensional accuracy. However, the air pressure required for the actuators to generate a full bending motion is significantly lower for textile actuators, and the blocking force generated at that pressure is 35% higher in the textile actuators. There are significant differences across all variables compared, indicating that actuators constructed using pleated textile techniques have greater potential for the construction of an exoskeleton for hand rehabilitation or assistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orion Ramos
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Department of Biomedical and Electronic Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Department of Biomedical and Electronic Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Mehran Moazen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Helge Wurdemann
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Carlos A. Cifuentes
- School of Engineering, Science and Technology, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia
- Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Carlos A. Cifuentes, ,
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10
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Sierra M SD, Garcia A DE, Otálora S, Arias-Castro MC, Gómez-Rodas A, Múnera M, Cifuentes CA. Assessment of a Robotic Walker in Older Adults With Parkinson's Disease in Daily Living Activities. Front Neurorobot 2022; 15:742281. [PMID: 34970132 PMCID: PMC8712754 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2021.742281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The constant growth of the population with mobility impairments, such as older adults and people suffering from neurological pathologies like Parkinson's disease (PD), has encouraged the development of multiple devices for gait assistance. Robotic walkers have emerged, improving physical stability and balance and providing cognitive aid in rehabilitation scenarios. Different studies evaluated human gait behavior with passive and active walkers to understand such rehabilitation processes. However, there is no evidence in the literature of studies with robotic walkers in daily living scenarios with older adults with Parkinson's disease. This study presents the assessment of the AGoRA Smart Walker using Ramps Tests and Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT). Ten older adults participated in the study, four had PD, and the remaining six had underlying conditions and fractures. Each of them underwent a physical assessment (i.e., Senior Fitness, hip, and knee strength tests) and then interacted with the AGoRA SW. Kinematic and physical interaction data were collected through the AGoRA walker's sensory interface. It was found that for lower limb strength tests, older adults with PD had increases of at least 15% in all parameters assessed. For the Sit to Stand Test, the Parkinson's group evidenced an increase of 23%, while for the Chair Sit and Reach Test (CSRT), this same group was only 0.04 m away from reaching the target. For the Ramp Up Test (RUT), the subjects had to make a greater effort, and significant differences (p-value = 0.04) were evidenced in the force they applied to the device. For the Ramp Down Test (RDT), the Parkinson's group exhibited a decrease in torque, and there were statistically significant differences (p-value = 0.01) due to the increase in the complexity of the task. In the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), the subjects presented significant differences in torque (p-value of 0.05) but not in force (p-value of 0.22) due to the effect of the admittance controller implemented in the study. Finally, the results suggested that the walker, represents a valuable tool for assisting people with gait motor deficits in tasks that demanded more physical effort adapting its behavior to the specific needs of each user.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio D Sierra M
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Daniel E Garcia A
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Sophia Otálora
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Alejandro Gómez-Rodas
- Programa de Fisioterapia, Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina, Pereira, Colombia.,Programa Ciencias del Deporte y la Recreación, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, Pereira, Colombia
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carlos A Cifuentes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
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11
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Pinto-Bernal MJ, Cifuentes CA, Perdomo O, Rincón-Roncancio M, Múnera M. A Data-Driven Approach to Physical Fatigue Management Using Wearable Sensors to Classify Four Diagnostic Fatigue States. Sensors (Basel) 2021; 21:6401. [PMID: 34640722 PMCID: PMC8513020 DOI: 10.3390/s21196401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Physical exercise contributes to the success of rehabilitation programs and rehabilitation processes assisted through social robots. However, the amount and intensity of exercise needed to obtain positive results are unknown. Several considerations must be kept in mind for its implementation in rehabilitation, as monitoring of patients' intensity, which is essential to avoid extreme fatigue conditions, may cause physical and physiological complications. The use of machine learning models has been implemented in fatigue management, but is limited in practice due to the lack of understanding of how an individual's performance deteriorates with fatigue; this can vary based on physical exercise, environment, and the individual's characteristics. As a first step, this paper lays the foundation for a data analytic approach to managing fatigue in walking tasks. The proposed framework establishes the criteria for a feature and machine learning algorithm selection for fatigue management, classifying four fatigue diagnoses states. Based on the proposed framework and the classifier implemented, the random forest model presented the best performance with an average accuracy of ≥98% and F-score of ≥93%. This model was comprised of ≤16 features. In addition, the prediction performance was analyzed by limiting the sensors used from four IMUs to two or even one IMU with an overall performance of ≥88%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria J. Pinto-Bernal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá 111166, Colombia; (M.J.P.-B.); (M.M.)
| | - Carlos A. Cifuentes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá 111166, Colombia; (M.J.P.-B.); (M.M.)
| | - Oscar Perdomo
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111711, Colombia;
| | | | - Marcela Múnera
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá 111166, Colombia; (M.J.P.-B.); (M.M.)
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Aguirre A, Pinto MJ, Cifuentes CA, Perdomo O, Díaz CAR, Múnera M. Machine Learning Approach for Fatigue Estimation in Sit-to-Stand Exercise. Sensors (Basel) 2021; 21:5006. [PMID: 34372241 PMCID: PMC8348066 DOI: 10.3390/s21155006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Physical exercise (PE) has become an essential tool for different rehabilitation programs. High-intensity exercises (HIEs) have been demonstrated to provide better results in general health conditions, compared with low and moderate-intensity exercises. In this context, monitoring of a patients' condition is essential to avoid extreme fatigue conditions, which may cause physical and physiological complications. Different methods have been proposed for fatigue estimation, such as: monitoring the subject's physiological parameters and subjective scales. However, there is still a need for practical procedures that provide an objective estimation, especially for HIEs. In this work, considering that the sit-to-stand (STS) exercise is one of the most implemented in physical rehabilitation, a computational model for estimating fatigue during this exercise is proposed. A study with 60 healthy volunteers was carried out to obtain a data set to develop and evaluate the proposed model. According to the literature, this model estimates three fatigue conditions (low, moderate, and high) by monitoring 32 STS kinematic features and the heart rate from a set of ambulatory sensors (Kinect and Zephyr sensors). Results show that a random forest model composed of 60 sub-classifiers presented an accuracy of 82.5% in the classification task. Moreover, results suggest that the movement of the upper body part is the most relevant feature for fatigue estimation. Movements of the lower body and the heart rate also contribute to essential information for identifying the fatigue condition. This work presents a promising tool for physical rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Aguirre
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá 111166, Colombia; (A.A.); (M.J.P.); (M.M.)
| | - Maria J. Pinto
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá 111166, Colombia; (A.A.); (M.J.P.); (M.M.)
| | - Carlos A. Cifuentes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá 111166, Colombia; (A.A.); (M.J.P.); (M.M.)
| | - Oscar Perdomo
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111711, Colombia;
| | - Camilo A. R. Díaz
- Electrical Engineering Department, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria 29075-910, Brazil;
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá 111166, Colombia; (A.A.); (M.J.P.); (M.M.)
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Sierra Marín SD, Gomez-Vargas D, Céspedes N, Múnera M, Roberti F, Barria P, Ramamoorthy S, Becker M, Carelli R, Cifuentes CA. Expectations and Perceptions of Healthcare Professionals for Robot Deployment in Hospital Environments During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Robot AI 2021; 8:612746. [PMID: 34150856 PMCID: PMC8208489 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2021.612746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Several challenges to guarantee medical care have been exposed during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Although the literature has shown some robotics applications to overcome the potential hazards and risks in hospital environments, the implementation of those developments is limited, and few studies measure the perception and the acceptance of clinicians. This work presents the design and implementation of several perception questionnaires to assess healthcare provider's level of acceptance and education toward robotics for COVID-19 control in clinic scenarios. Specifically, 41 healthcare professionals satisfactorily accomplished the surveys, exhibiting a low level of knowledge about robotics applications in this scenario. Likewise, the surveys revealed that the fear of being replaced by robots remains in the medical community. In the Colombian context, 82.9% of participants indicated a positive perception concerning the development and implementation of robotics in clinic environments. Finally, in general terms, the participants exhibited a positive attitude toward using robots and recommended them to be used in the current panorama.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio D. Sierra Marín
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Daniel Gomez-Vargas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Nathalia Céspedes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Flavio Roberti
- Institute of Automatics, National University of San Juan, San Juan, Argentina
| | - Patricio Barria
- Club de Leones Cruz del Sur Rehabilitation Center, Punta Arenas, Chile
| | | | - Marcelo Becker
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Carelli
- Institute of Automatics, National University of San Juan, San Juan, Argentina
| | - Carlos A. Cifuentes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota, Colombia
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Garcia A. DE, Sierra M. SD, Gomez-Vargas D, Jiménez MF, Múnera M, Cifuentes CA. Semi-Remote Gait Assistance Interface: A Joystick with Visual Feedback Capabilities for Therapists. Sensors (Basel) 2021; 21:s21103521. [PMID: 34069340 PMCID: PMC8158774 DOI: 10.3390/s21103521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The constant growth of pathologies affecting human mobility has led to developing of different assistive devices to provide physical and cognitive assistance. Smart walkers are a particular type of these devices since they integrate navigation systems, path-following algorithms, and user interaction modules to ensure natural and intuitive interaction. Although these functionalities are often implemented in rehabilitation scenarios, there is a need to actively involve the healthcare professionals in the interaction loop while guaranteeing safety for them and patients. This work presents the validation of two visual feedback strategies for the teleoperation of a simulated robotic walker during an assisted navigation task. For this purpose, a group of 14 clinicians from the rehabilitation area formed the validation group. A simple path-following task was proposed, and the feedback strategies were assessed through the kinematic estimation error (KTE) and a usability survey. A KTE of 0.28 m was obtained for the feedback strategy on the joystick. Additionally, significant differences were found through a Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon test for the perception of behavior and confidence towards the joystick according to the modes of interaction (p-values of 0.04 and 0.01, respectively). The use of visual feedback with this tool contributes to research areas such as remote management of therapies and monitoring rehabilitation of people’s mobility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E. Garcia A.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota 111166, Colombia; (D.E.G.A.); (S.D.S.M.); (D.G.-V.); (M.M.)
| | - Sergio D. Sierra M.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota 111166, Colombia; (D.E.G.A.); (S.D.S.M.); (D.G.-V.); (M.M.)
| | - Daniel Gomez-Vargas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota 111166, Colombia; (D.E.G.A.); (S.D.S.M.); (D.G.-V.); (M.M.)
| | - Mario F. Jiménez
- School of Engineering, Science and Technology, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111711, Colombia
- Correspondence: (M.F.J.); (C.A.C.); Tel.: +57-(1)-297-0200 (M.F.J.); +57-(031)-668-3600 (C.A.C.)
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota 111166, Colombia; (D.E.G.A.); (S.D.S.M.); (D.G.-V.); (M.M.)
| | - Carlos A. Cifuentes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogota 111166, Colombia; (D.E.G.A.); (S.D.S.M.); (D.G.-V.); (M.M.)
- Correspondence: (M.F.J.); (C.A.C.); Tel.: +57-(1)-297-0200 (M.F.J.); +57-(031)-668-3600 (C.A.C.)
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Céspedes N, Irfan B, Senft E, Cifuentes CA, Gutierrez LF, Rincon-Roncancio M, Belpaeme T, Múnera M. A Socially Assistive Robot for Long-Term Cardiac Rehabilitation in the Real World. Front Neurorobot 2021; 15:633248. [PMID: 33828473 PMCID: PMC8020889 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2021.633248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
What are the benefits of using a socially assistive robot for long-term cardiac rehabilitation? To answer this question we designed and conducted a real-world long-term study, in collaboration with medical specialists, at the Fundación Cardioinfantil-Instituto de Cardiología clinic (Bogotá, Colombia) lasting 2.5 years. The study took place within the context of the outpatient phase of patients' cardiac rehabilitation programme and aimed to compare the patients' progress and adherence in the conventional cardiac rehabilitation programme (control condition) against rehabilitation supported by a fully autonomous socially assistive robot which continuously monitored the patients during exercise to provide immediate feedback and motivation based on sensory measures (robot condition). The explicit aim of the social robot is to improve patient motivation and increase adherence to the programme to ensure a complete recovery. We recruited 15 patients per condition. The cardiac rehabilitation programme was designed to last 36 sessions (18 weeks) per patient. The findings suggest that robot increases adherence (by 13.3%) and leads to faster completion of the programme. In addition, the patients assisted by the robot had more rapid improvement in their recovery heart rate, better physical activity performance and a higher improvement in cardiovascular functioning, which indicate a successful cardiac rehabilitation programme performance. Moreover, the medical staff and the patients acknowledged that the robot improved the patient motivation and adherence to the programme, supporting its potential in addressing the major challenges in rehabilitation programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalia Céspedes
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Bahar Irfan
- Centre for Robotics and Neural Systems, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Emmanuel Senft
- Centre for Robotics and Neural Systems, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
- Department of Computer Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Carlos A. Cifuentes
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | | | - Tony Belpaeme
- Centre for Robotics and Neural Systems, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
- IDLab-imec, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
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Céspedes N, Raigoso D, Múnera M, Cifuentes CA. Long-Term Social Human-Robot Interaction for Neurorehabilitation: Robots as a Tool to Support Gait Therapy in the Pandemic. Front Neurorobot 2021; 15:612034. [PMID: 33732130 PMCID: PMC7959832 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2021.612034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic has affected the population worldwide, evidencing new challenges and opportunities for several kinds of emergent and existing technologies. Social Assistive Robotics could be a potential tool to support clinical care areas, promoting physical distancing, and reducing the contagion rate. In this context, this paper presents a long-term evaluation of a social robotic platform for gait neurorehabilitation. The robot's primary roles are monitoring physiological progress and promoting social interaction with human distancing during the sessions. A clinical validation with ten patients during 15 sessions were conducted in a rehabilitation center located in Colombia. Results showed that the robot's support improves the patients' physiological progress by reducing their unhealthy spinal posture time, with positive acceptance. 65% of patients described the platform as helpful and secure. Regarding the robot's role within the therapy, the health care staff agreed (>95%) that this tool can promote physical distancing and it is highly useful to support neurorehabilitation throughout the pandemic. These outcomes suggest the benefits of this tool to be further implemented in the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalia Céspedes
- Departament of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Denniss Raigoso
- Departament of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Departament of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carlos A Cifuentes
- Departament of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
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Casas J, Senft E, Gutiérrez LF, Rincón-Rocancio M, Múnera M, Belpaeme T, Cifuentes CA. Social Assistive Robots: Assessing the Impact of a Training Assistant Robot in Cardiac Rehabilitation. Int J Soc Robot 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s12369-020-00708-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Tamberrino L, Greenberg K, Jacobs K, Khurshid RP, Múnera M, Cifuentes C. Technology and Environmental Supports in the Home and Community: An Interprofessional Project in Bogotá, Colombia. Am J Occup Ther 2020. [DOI: 10.5014/ajot.2020.74s1-po8402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Date Presented 03/28/20
The collaboration between OT and engineering can bring complementary perspectives together to create assistive technology that makes significant global impacts. In Colombia, two assessments were administered to identify factors that influence participation in home and community environments for individuals with ambulatory challenges. This research project provides a foundation for OT in Colombia to work with local engineering programs to identify home and community barriers.
Primary Author and Speaker: Lucy Tamberrino
Additional Authors and Speakers: Kimberly Greenberg, Karen Jacobs
Contributing Authors: Rebecca Pierce Khurshid, Marcela Múnera, Carlos Cifuentes
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Marcela Múnera
- Escuela Colombiana de Ingeniería Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carlos Cifuentes
- Escuela Colombiana de Ingeniería Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
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20
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Casas J, Leal-Junior A, Díaz CR, Frizera A, Múnera M, Cifuentes CA. Large-Range Polymer Optical-Fiber Strain-Gauge Sensor for Elastic Tendons in Wearable Assistive Robots. Materials (Basel) 2019; 12:E1443. [PMID: 31058841 PMCID: PMC6539067 DOI: 10.3390/ma12091443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This paper presents the development and validation of a polymer optical-fiber strain-gauge sensor based on the light-coupling principle to measure axial deformation of elastic tendons incorporated in soft actuators for wearable assistive robots. An analytical model was proposed and further validated with experiment tests, showing correlation with a coefficient of R = 0.998 between experiment and theoretical data, and reaching a maximum axial displacement range of 15 mm and no significant hysteresis. Furthermore, experiment tests were carried out attaching the validated sensor to the elastic tendon. Results of three experiment tests show the sensor's capability to measure the tendon's response under tensile axial stress, finding 20.45% of hysteresis in the material's response between the stretching and recovery phase. Based on these results, there is evidence of the potential that the fiber-optical strain sensor presents for future applications in the characterization of such tendons and identification of dynamic models that allow the understanding of the material's response to the development of more efficient interaction-control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Casas
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá 111166, Colombia.
| | - Arnaldo Leal-Junior
- Graduate Program of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria 29075-910, Brazil.
| | - Camilo R Díaz
- Graduate Program of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria 29075-910, Brazil.
| | - Anselmo Frizera
- Graduate Program of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Espirito Santo, Vitoria 29075-910, Brazil.
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá 111166, Colombia.
| | - Carlos A Cifuentes
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá 111166, Colombia.
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Aycardi LF, Cifuentes CA, Múnera M, Bayón C, Ramírez O, Lerma S, Frizera A, Rocon E. Evaluation of biomechanical gait parameters of patients with Cerebral Palsy at three different levels of gait assistance using the CPWalker. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2019; 16:15. [PMID: 30691493 PMCID: PMC6350321 DOI: 10.1186/s12984-019-0485-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common cause of permanent serious physical disability in childhood. Although many platforms have been developed, so far there are still not precise guidelines for the rehabilitation of the population with CP. The CPWalker is a robotic platform for the rehabilitation of children with CP, through which they can start experiencing autonomous locomotion in the rehabilitation environment. It allows the possibility of free movement and includes physical and cognitive interfaces into the therapy. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the effects of the CPWalker-based rehabilitation intervention in children with CP by comparing different gait parameters before, during and after the use of the platform. FINDINGS The evaluation was divided in three stages where the gait parameters and symmetry indexes of eight subjects with CP were evaluated. In the first stage patients walked only with the help they receive normally in daily life. During the second stage they walked with the CPWalker and finally, in the third stage, they repeated their gait without the platform. In all stages they wore an inertial G-Sensor Ⓡ while walking through the hospital facilities. The results showed statistical significant differences in several spatio-temporal parameters, pelvic angles and general gait cycle parameters, with and without the use of the robotic device. For the eight patients: cadence, speed and stride length presented similar values when comparing before and after the therapy. However, they decreased during the intervention (both means and standard deviations). No significant differences were found in the symmetry indexes with the use of the platform. In spite of this, a reduction in the pelvic angles ranges and propulsion was observed. CONCLUSIONS The effect of using the device was analyzed for spatio-temporal parameters, pelvic girdle angles and general gait cycle parameters. Among the eighteen initial parameters, seven presented a statistical significant difference when comparing stage 2 of the intervention with stages 1 and 3. Those changes showed the potential of the CPWalker to improve muscular strength and gait patterns of the patients with CP in the long term and to provide useful information for the design of the future generations of rehabilitation robotic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Felipe Aycardi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carlos Andrés Cifuentes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Marcela Múnera
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Cristina Bayón
- Neural and Cognitive Engineering Group, CAR of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Arganda del Rey, Madrid, 28500, Spain
| | - Oscar Ramírez
- Neural and Cognitive Engineering Group, CAR of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Arganda del Rey, Madrid, 28500, Spain
| | | | - Anselmo Frizera
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Espirito Santo, ES, Vitória, 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Rocon
- Neural and Cognitive Engineering Group, CAR of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Arganda del Rey, Madrid, 28500, Spain.
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