Rehab robot helps stroke survivors
Combat stroke disability with rehab robot
A clever new portable rehabilitation tool can help stroke survivors recover the ability to move and perform tasks with their hands independently.
We all know how important it is to get physiotherapy in the immediate aftermath of a stroke, but many people don’t, leaving them with more serious disabilities than might otherwise have been the case.
33 million stroke survivors across the world live with long-term disability resulting from the condition. This number could be on the rise with stroke emerging as a symptom of Covid-19, affecting 2% of all patients admitted to hospital due to the virus.
The rehab robot, CR2-Haptic, helps survivors train their hand and forearm through a virtual reality game. After just six weeks, they demonstrate nearly a 70% increase in their control and range of movement.
The robot is light, so that survivors can keep it with them and train wherever and whenever they want.
During his PhD, Che Fai Yeong, the inventor, witnessed the incredible difference physiotherapists can make to the lives of stroke survivors, but knew this solution would not be available to all stroke survivors. He chose to use his bioengineering expertise to give everyone access to high-quality, affordable rehabilitation.
What is CR2?
Compact Rehabilitation Robot (CR2) is a compact, portable and reconfigurable robot for forearm rehabilitation training.
It enables patients to train their hands while playing a virtual reality game on the computer.
The device is small enough to fit into standard luggage. It has haptic technology and uses virtual reality games to enhance and motivate patients to train.
A pilot study has shown 67% improvement in hand movement after six weeks of training.
How to use CR2 rehab robot?
CR2 runs on a computer with a monitor display for the virtual reality game. The patient holds the CR2’s handle and moves it according to the instruction on the screen.
CR2 robot can be customised for different recovery stages by providing multiple training modes (passive, active, assistive) and changeable handles for different training movements.
If the patient has a severe disability, the CR2 will help to assist the movement whereas if they have a high level of motor control, the rehab robot will introduce resistance. In other words, CR2 has different levels of difficulty for different types of patient.
The robot also has different games to engage the user’s interest, such as collecting drops of water, car racing, and others. Because it is portable, it can be used almost anyywhere, even at home.
CR2 is now available in a few countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, India and China.
The story behind the rehab robot
CR2 was developed by Associate Professor Dr Yeong Che Fai and his student Dr Khor Kang Xiang at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Both of them shared the same passion to use technology to help those in need.
Dr Khor’s father himself is a stroke survivor and he clearly understands the pressing needs of new innovation and technology for stroke survivors’ rehabilitation.
Both Dr.Yeong and Dr.Khor then co-founded Techcare Innovation to focus on developing technology that cares.
Important role for Royal Academy of Engineering
Dr. Yeong has kicked off plans to expand his business internationally and make the robot available to stroke survivors all over the world.
He has been helped in this by his Royal Academy of Engineering’s ‘Leaders in Innovation’ fellowship, during which he was able to connect with many international entrepreneurs.
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You can find out more about the rehab robot on www.techcareinnovation.com
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