Haptic based gait rehabilitation system for stroke patients

Among most existing gait rehabilitation robots, it is difficult to find adequate devices for gait rehabilitation of chronic stroke patients who can already stand and move but still need to rehabilitate the affected lower limb through simple, compact, and easy-to use devices. This paper presents a novel haptic based gait rehabilitation system (HGRS) which has the potential to provide over-ground gait training regimens for post-stroke ambulatory subjects. It consists of a portable cane for kinesthetic sensing and a wearable vibrotactor array for tactile biofeedback. Contact of user with the handle provides light grip force, it serves the purpose of balance assurance and increased muscle activity through light touch concept and vibrotactors contribute in enhancing the gait modification through afferent signal of vibration. Walking trials conducted with stroke patients indicate increased muscle activation and balance, and improved temporal symmetry with use of HGRS. HGRS is capable of assisting physical therapists in training individuals with stroke suffering from gait abnormalities. In addition, it is easy to use and low-cost which makes it reachable to a vast domain of subjects suffering from gait abnormalities.