Special Collection on advances in rehabilitation engineering with robotics and mechatronic devices

摘要

In recent years, rehabilitation engineering has played acrucial role in improving the quality of life for individu-als with disabilities, by developing innovative devicesand assistive technologies. In particular, the populationaged over 75 is expected to rise considerably with a cor-responding increase in long term conditions and func-tional and sensory impairments. In addition, peoplewith a range of neuromuscular diseases may benefitfrom immediate support in order to avoid more severeor permanent damage. At the same time, robotics andmechatronics applications have rapidly expanded fromthe industrial environment to human assistance in reha-bilitation and functional improvements. Already, thereare many open challenges and opportunities to inte-grate engineering concepts into rehabilitation, increasepopulation wellbeing and wealth, as well as reducehealthcare costs. This motivates researchers to study,design, and develop novel rehabilitative and assistivetechnologies and methods to help people to recover orimprove cognitive and motor functions. Specifically,the challenge is to transfer the research results and newknowledge to stakeholders (e.g. users and their families,physicians, physiotherapists, clinics, hospitals, indus-try), creating a general awareness of the importance ofrehabilitation engineering.