Human-Exoskeleton Interaction During Knee Flexion-Extension with Robot Setup in Resistive Mode

Rehabilitation of the knee skills are extremely necessary after neuromotor disease or trauma, in order to restore the joint mobility and the patient quality of life as best as possible. Robotic devices can be used to assist the therapy which can involve the patient performing flexion-extension movements with the knee in a seated position. In more advanced stages of therapy, the robot can be configured to resist the user movement, allowing for strength training and control. The objective of this work was evaluate human-robot interaction related to a subject wearing an exoskeleton configured for active-resistive mode and performing knee flexion-extension movements in a seated position. The assessment was performed considering the pattern of movement, muscle activation and recruitment and the torque applied by the exoskeleton. The results allow us to conclude that this approach can influence the execution of the movement, the muscle activations and recruitment pattern as well as the torque applied by the robot, not always in an obvious way, therefore it is necessary for the therapist to consider such influences before defining a protocol to be followed in therapy.