Florida Atlantic University has filed a provisional patent for a unique robotic device to assist with the physical rehabilitation process of patients suffering from neurological damages to their upper extremities such as those due to stroke or Parkinson’s disease. Inventors, Dr. Oren Masory, chair and professor of mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and Melissa Morris, FAU engineering graduate student, designed and built the device to aid physical therapists and their patients to retrain injured muscles.

The invention is composed of moving parts, including motors, cables and spools, enclosed within an acrylic case with a handle [joystick] that is indirectly connected to the system through magnetic attraction. This device is the first-known cable driven robot to utilize a barrier between the operator and the moving mechanisms of the system. The system does not contain any rigid parts that could suddenly harm or injure the user, and the device can be used in a physical therapy office or at home without supervision. In addition, the system has a safety button embedded in the handle and if released during operation, a signal is sent to the controller that the patient has lost contact with the handle and the system immediately shuts down.  Read More...