New robotic device shows potential in stroke rehabilitation

US researchers have developed a machine that can help stroke patients to perform a key rehabilitation exercise more effectively.

The Georgia Institute of Technology created a robotic device for use in repetitive facilitation exercises (RFEs), one of the most common rehabilitation tactics for stroke patients attempting to regain wrist movement. 

Typically, RFE patients are asked to think about moving while a practitioner flexes the wrist at the same time, creating a strong, combined response in the brain that helps them re-acquire the motor function. However, since timing is key, this can be hard to perform correctly.

By contrast, the new solution places a transcranial magnetic stimulator on the heads of patients that creates a weak signal in the motor cortex in response to physical stimuli. This automates the process and provides more precise timing than any manual solution.

Jun Ueda, an associate professor at the institute's school of mechanical engineering, said: "It appears that the timing is the critical piece of this exercise. Robots are great at timing, so the results are very promising for robotics."

Every year, more than 150,000 people have a stroke, making it the third largest cause of death in the UK, after heart disease and cancer.