Robotic rehabilitation of the upper-limb: patient-robot interaction in chronic emiplegic patients

The use of a strategy based on "Super-imposed trajectories" (SIT) in the upper-limb robotic rehabilitation could be criticized due to the "passive" approach. The exploration of the effort-error relationship that is considered as a basic factor for motor re-learning is, in this case, not allowed. However, for severely impaired patients, an active control of the robot is not possible and the SIT approach is the only one allowed. These patients might be asked to participate to the predefined movements exerting active forces along the trajectory, according to their functional capabilities, with the intent of combining proprioceptive stimulation and active motor control. The aim of this study is to verify if the SIT strategy is a merely "passive" treatment or, on the contrary, it sufficiently involves patients' active participation.