IIT Jodhpur team designs robotic trainers for lower limb rehabilitation

A research team from IIT Jodhpur has designed robotic trainers that can be used in physiotherapy to treat lower limb disability, which may bring relief to nearly 5 million people in India who live with locomotor disabilities as per the last census.

“Complete Rehabilitation is possible if the correct sequence of therapies is executed. Robots will be able to do it without getting tired,” explained Dr Mohanta, Assistant Professor, IIT Jodhpur.

A robotic trainer is a brace or a wearable device like an exoskeleton that supports the leg. It was provided with a Cartesian (3-directional) parallel manipulator to perform the required limb therapeutic motions in the transverse/horizontal/lateral and sagittal/longitudinal plane. The design ensures a large workspace to execute the required range of motion therapies.

The usefulness of the designed stationary trainer was confirmed using computer-based simulations along with a motion control scheme by performing various clinically suggested therapeutic passive range of motions.

The design could execute important essential rehabilitation therapeutic movements like abduction (the motion of a limb or appendage away from the midline of the body), adduction (the motion of a limb or appendage towards the midline of the body), flexion (bending movement), and extension of the hip and knee joints

“The robotic trainer we have designed will help provide physiotherapy to paralytic patients, and for those who have spinal cord injuries that have disrupted their lower limb functions”, said the research lead in a press statement.

The trainer proposed by the IIT Jodhpur team is conceptually simple and has a modular mechanical configuration that is easy to fix and use. Furthermore, since only linear actuators are used for the hip and knee motions, the robot itself is stable, safe and robust during use.