‘Rehabilitation robots’ are becoming a very popular tool in the world of healthcare. They are designed to help people recover or rehabilitate after they have suffered from a stroke, spinal cord injury, or other debilitating medical condition.
The most common types of rehabilitation robots include: physical therapy robots, exoskeletons, and powered wheelchairs. Physical therapy robots are designed to help improve a person’s muscular and/or mobility abilities.
There are many different types of rehabilitation robots available such as the RE-Motion, ReWalk, RehabMate, and more. A physical therapy robot is created in a way that it mimics human movement.
The robotic exoskeleton is designed to restore balance, gait, strength, and endurance to a person with spinal cord injury or stroke. Powered wheelchairs assist a person in performing everyday tasks and provide them with the safe support they need.
These wheelchairs come in various levels of functionality such as power assist and manual control. Powered wheelchairs are designed to be used by people with a wide variety of disabilities.
They can be used by people who have suffered from spinal cord injuries or strokes, as well as people who have had the use of their legs permanently restricted due to other conditions, such as multiple sclerosis.
Powered wheelchairs are similar to manual wheelchairs, except they are electrically powered and do not require manual operation. The power that is required for these wheelchairs is supplied by a rechargeable battery that can last anywhere from two hours to eight hours, depending on the model chosen.
Types Of Rehabilitation Robots
The market for rehabilitation robots was valued at USD 529.8 million in 2018 and is anticipated to grow to USD 2,617.3 million by 2026, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.1% from 2019 to 2026. Rehabilitation engineering is the use of technology to develop robotic system and devices that can be used in rehabilitation therapy.
One area of focus is the development of robot-assisted training systems for upper extremity rehabilitation. These systems can provide repetitive and task-specific training that can help patients regain function and independence.
1. Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a mobility device designed to offer support to people who have difficulty walking or getting around on their own. Wheelchairs are available for use by people who have physical disabilities and other medical conditions including multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and spina bifida.
2. Walker
A walker, also known as a walker frame, four-wheel walker or rollator, is a mobility device used by people with balance problems due to age or disability such as spinal cord injury or Parkinson’s disease. Walkers can also be used by older adults when walking long distances and outdoors as an alternative to using a wheelchair/scooter.
3. Balance Board
From 2021 to 2031, the Medical Rehabilitation Robotics Market is anticipated to grow at an astounding 15.9% CAGR, with a market value of US$ 311.4 Mn in 2021. According to the analysis, sales of therapeutic and supportive items accounted for roughly 75.4% of the market’s overall share in 2020.
Balance boards are used to assist the healing process in people who have an injury to the nervous system, such as stroke and spinal cord injury. They can be used at home or in therapy sessions, and are designed to prevent falls by providing support for balance.
4. Wheelchair Exoskeleton
A wheelchair exoskeleton is a wearable robotic device that improves mobility for people who have difficulty walking due to paralysis, stroke or other injuries like multiple sclerosis. Once worn, the exoskeleton is connected to the user’s wheelchair and it provides a means of mobility via motors that improve arm and leg movement, so people can walk again.
5. Powered Wheelchair
A powered wheelchair is a motorized wheelchair that uses batteries to supply the power necessary to propel the chair. Powered wheelchairs are designed for older adults who want a means of mobility that is easier and more comfortable than manual wheelchairs.
They are often used by people who want to be able to participate in everyday activities, such as shopping, going for walks, and going for groceries. According to Future Industry Insights (FMI), the medical rehabilitation robotics market will make up around 4.5% of the US$5.9 billion global market for medical robots in 2020.
Rehabilitation robots are designed to help improve a person’s muscular and/or mobility abilities. There are many different types of rehabilitation robots available such as the RE-Motion, ReWalk, RehabMate, and more. The difference in these robots varies greatly depending on the manufacturer and type of robot being used.
Benefits Of Rehabilitation Robots
There is evidence that upper limb rehabilitation with robotic devices can improve motor function and independence in stroke patients. Rehabilitation robotics is a new and growing field, and further research is needed to determine the most effective ways to use these devices for stroke rehabilitation.
1. Mobility
The mobility of a rehabilitation robot is a vast improvement over what a person with limited mobility can do on their own. These robots allow people to get around outside on their own, and allows them to become more independent.
2. Reduces Caregiver Burden
A person’s caregivers often feel burdened by the fact that they have to constantly assist the patient or loved one in getting around and performing everyday tasks that most people take for granted. Rehabilitation robots provide freedom for the patient and reduce the burden on their caregivers which helps everyone.
3. Improve Quality Of Life
The use of a rehabilitation robot can help increase the quality of life for people who have suffered from strokes, spinal cord injury and other debilitating medical conditions. This is because it improves their ability to move around on their own and reduces the burden on their caregivers.
4. Pool Therapy
In 2020, the U.S. held 90.1% of the market share for medical rehabilitation robotics in North America, and it is anticipated that it would maintain its dominance during the forecast period.
The use of a rehabilitation robot can help a person perform pool therapy at home, which allows them to exercise without having to be in a pool. They can do this by using a swimsuit and water resistant shoes that are attached to the robot’s feet. This type of training is very helpful in improving mobility and muscle strength simultaneously.
5. Causes Less Stress
Being around a rehabilitation robot reduces the amount of stress on caregivers as it requires very little care. This is because it does not require going through any complicated processes for assistance, and can be used anywhere.
6. Increased Independence
The use of a rehabilitation robot can greatly increase a person’s mobility and independence, which often improves their quality of life. The use of robotics can help restore the strength, endurance and balance that people once had and help them regain their independence.
7. Improved Muscle Strength
Rehabilitation robots are designed to mimic human movement patterns so that they provide effective results in a short amount of time. This means that a person is able to improve their muscle strength and ability to perform daily tasks, which improves their quality of life and allows them to return to an active lifestyle sooner.
8. Least Amount Of Risk
The use of a rehabilitation robot can be a very safe environment for a person who is using it. This is because the robot itself does not have any harmful parts or sharp edges that could cause injury, even if someone were careless enough to drop something on it.
They are also designed with safety concerns in mind and will automatically stop moving if they detect anything dangerous, as well as alerting caregivers when there is a problem.
Risks Of Rehabilitation Robots
Over the course of the evaluation period, demand is expected to increase in the UK at an astounding 13.6% CAGR. The two main therapeutic approaches for improving upper limb function are traditional therapy and robot-assisted therapy.
Conventional therapy uses techniques such as stretching and massage to improve range of motion and reduce pain. Robot assisted therapy uses robotic systems to help patients regain movement and function.
1. Uses Limited Resources
The use of a rehabilitation robot can be an expensive process and it requires an extensive amount of time, energy, and resources from the caregiver and patient. This may result in less time being spent on other important and necessary tasks, like rest or care for other family members.
2. Lack Of Privacy
Using a rehabilitation robot often requires the presence of another person to operate it properly. This can cause problems when a person who is using a robot wishes to have some privacy or has concerns about their caregiver seeing them using one.
3. Lack Of Mobility
Rehabilitation robots are designed to provide support for people who have trouble moving on their own due to medical conditions, but they cannot replace normal walking entirely. This means that they are not a complete solution for those who have lost their ability to walk or are in the process of recovering from an injury.
4. Technology Can Break
China accounted for 53.2% of the East Asian market for medical rehabilitation robots in 2020, according to FMI, and is expected to grow at a fast 18.5% CAGR throughout the assessment period.
The use of a rehabilitation robot relies on the technology that powers it working correctly and there is always the potential for it to break down or malfunction. This can cause anxiety and fear of lack of safety in some people, who may not understand how it works or is safe.
5. Relies On Caregiver’s Knowledge
Because a rehabilitation robot requires another person to operate it, it requires that person to have knowledge about how it works and how effective it will be for the patient/person using it.
This can cause frustration for the caregiver if they have a lack of knowledge or experience, which is likely to result in poor results and a negative impact on the person using it.
6. Difficulty Learning
Rehabilitation robots are designed to teach people how to move more effectively through repetitive practice so that they can improve their strength and mobility. As a result, this can make them difficult to learn and use properly, which often leads to frustration for both the patient/person using it and the caregiver trying to help them.
7. Weather Conditions
The effectiveness of a rehabilitation robot is often limited by weather conditions due to its reliance on interacting with the outside environment. For example, when it is raining or snowing a robot may have difficulty moving around outside because the ground is slippery or dangerous.
8. Dependence
The use of a rehabilitation robot can lead to dependence on others to provide the physical assistance required for it to work properly. This can mean that the person using it can be reliant on their caregivers as well as the robot itself, creating an unhealthy relationship that is based on reliance instead of independence.
Final Note
It is inevitable that rehabilitation robots will become more common in the future and will continue to change how care is provided for those who are using them. This means that they will continue to develop new ways of helping people use their bodies better and recover more quickly, which will result in a wider range of improvements for their quality of life.
Last Updated on October 10, 2023 by Priyanshi Sharma
