Engineering Commons^™

Characterization And Control Of A Woven Biomimetic Actuator For Wearable Neurorehabilitative Devices, Vaughan K. Murphy

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Strokes are a major cause of death and disability, with nearly 300,000 Canadians suffering from stroke-related disability. Many survivors suffer from upper limb paresis, which makes ordinary tasks difficult. Availability of care is an issue, with only 43.3% of patients in Ontario receiving proper treatment. Robot-assisted neurorehabilitation has been used to address limited clinician availability, and has been shown to improve patient strength and range of motion faster than or comparable to traditional methods. However, the size and weight of current devices limit their use to within therapists’ offices. Incorporating actuators into clothing would make the devices more comfortable, natural …