title: Robotic Therapy and the Paradox of the Diminishing Number of Degrees of Freedom.
abstract: There has been remarkable growth in the development and application of robotics to ameliorate or remediate impairment. This growth is associated with a) the understanding that plasticity is a fundamental property of the adult human brain and might be harnessed to remap or create new neural pathways and b) that robots that can safely interact with humans and assist human performance. This article discusses whether robotic therapy has achieved a level of maturity to justify its broad adoption as a rehabilitative tool. How to improve outcomes further and how to select degrees of freedom to optimize care to particular patients is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, 620 W Lexington St, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine I, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake, Toyoake, Aichi, 470-1192, Japan; Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. Electronic address: hikrebs@mit.edu.
authors.forename: Hermano Igo
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Krebs
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine I, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake, Toyoake, Aichi, 470-1192, Japan.
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saitoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Neville
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hogan
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012371:Robotics; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D034941:Upper Extremity
keywords: Degrees of freedom; Functional-based therapy; Impairment-based therapy; Rehabilitation robotics; Robotic therapy; Stroke