The patient-lifting RIBA II isn’t the only new healthcare robot from Japan we can show you today. Researchers at the Okayama University have developed a model that goes in a different direction: their robot [JP] helps people with spinal cord injuries or those recovering from strokes.
The idea is to help patients move their wrists again, a task usually performed by physical therapists. Work on the robot began about six years ago, and the newest version has six joints and a pneumatic cylinder with actuator.
Patients can use the robot to “practice” moving their wrist after choosing between various levels of resistance. What’s cool is that a set of sensors can be connected to the muscles in the arm of a patient, simulating force feedback about wrist movements.
This video, shot by Diginfonews in Tokyo (in English), provides more insight: