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- HANDCARE: Post stroke upper limb rehabilitation devicePublication . Lobão, Rebeca; Patacho, Maria; Pedro, Mariana; Oliveira, Ana; Jacob, Frederico; Guimarães, Pedro; Marques, ArcelinaStroke is one of the leading causes of mortality and disability worldwide. In Portugal, the Portuguese Stroke Society (SPAVC) estimates that approximately three Portuguese individuals experience a stroke every hour, resulting in fatality for one and debilitating sequelae for another. The sequelae of stroke hinder patients from performing their normal daily activities, thereby affecting their quality of life. There are limited exercises that enable patients to autonomously improve their condition. Therefore, it is imperative to identify more effective treatments to enhance the quality of life for stroke patients. In this work, we describe the development of a rehabilitation device for the upper limb post-stroke. Conventional rehabilitation methods often possess disadvantages, primarily due to the use of repetitive exercises and bulky equipment requiring the assistance of a physiotherapist. However, the proposed device allows the patient to regain a certain level of autonomy in the affected limb through a game controlled by the upper limb. Additionally, the device records the patient's progress throughout the sessions, which can be monitored by a specialized healthcare professional. This rehabilitation device is expected to provide a more accessible and enjoyable approach to assist stroke patients in recovering their motor skills in the affected upper limb, thereby promoting a significant improvement in their quality of life.
- ABHA - Advanced Biomechanical Hand AssistantPublication . Correia, Vasco; Alves, Lucas; Guimarães, Pedro; Vieira, Diogo; Oliveira, Diego; Marques, Arcelina; Lima, RafaelThe outlook for the future of physiotherapy is very promising, with a gradual increase in its demand. This trend is mainly explained by the fact that there is an increasingly active and ageing population in developed countries. The growing demand for this area will consequently lead to the need for many resources, both human and economic. Currently, there are several bionic hands with various uses and functions, and most of these hands are programmed to respond to the movements of a particular user. Besides, most of the applications of medical robotics are mainly directed to the area of surgery. With this proposal, we intend to simplify the whole physiotherapy or rehabilitation process. For that, we have developed an equipment capable of helping the patient to perform the exercises in the comfort of his home, but in an equally efficient way. The operation of the system consists of autonomous use by the patient, who must wear the glove and replicate the exercises, predefined for each user, performed by the biomechanical hand. Having the possibility to define the exercises, ABHA is transferable and can be used by more than one patient.