Soft Wearable Machines for Robot-Assisted Rehabilitation:Wearable machines that assist with therapy

摘要

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability, whereby 15 million people worldwide suffer a stroke each year and nearly a third of them are left permanently disabled [1]. Post-stroke neurological impairment often leads to paralysis of one side ofthe patient's body, which can affect his/her ability to perform basic activities of daily living, such as grasping household items [2]. This inability to independently perform daily tasks reduces the patient's quality of life. In addition, about 60% of the stroke patients tend to experience contractures in their limbs, especially the hand and ankle, particularly due to prolonged immobility [3]. The presence of joint contractures can further aggravate the patient's disability conditions.