Symposium|Orthotics
Innovative Technologies for Powered Upper Limb Orthoses

Abstract: Robot-assisted therapy has become a common tool in neurorehabilitation. To enhance the transfer from therapy to daily life a system for the training of functional arm movements was developed and evaluated.

Abstract: This symposium will focus on the use of functional electrical stimulation as a tool to support the delivery of task-specific, voluntary-initiated upper limb therapy after stroke. A brief review of the evidence underpinning this approach will be followed by an overview of the technical challenges in delivering such an approach in clinical practice.

Abstract: For people with muscular diseases, a spring balanced arm support was developed. Based on home visits, design criteria were set up for essential activities of daily living. Three generations of prototypes were created, thefirst to demonstrate the principle of single point support, the second to perform clinical testing, and the third as a product. Over a hundred units are produced so far. Clinical evaluation based on IPPA and Dquest showed that the device is considered as very useful.