Robotic Rehabilitation Workshop
Clinical Adoption of Novel Mechatronic Solutions for Upper and Lower Limb Rehabilitation: Bringing Robotic Exoskeletons from the Lab to Clinical Practice
The workshop
Motivation: Rehabilitation robotics, and robotic exoskeletons in particular, poses significant challenges from both engineering and clinical perspectives. From the engineering standpoint, designing wearable robotic systems that can effectively interact with the human body requires the development of appropriate kinematic architectures capable of reproducing physiological joint motion, the integration of compliant and efficient actuation systems able to provide assistance while accurately measuring human–robot interaction forces, and the implementation of advanced control strategies that can safely support patients throughout the different phases of rehabilitation. From the clinical perspective, major challenges include defining meaningful clinical requirements, identifying the patient populations that can benefit most from robotic assistance, designing effective rehabilitation protocols, evaluating clinical outcomes, and assessing usability, user experience, and patient engagement. These challenges have been addressed within the INAIL-IIT ClinicExo projects, which developed innovative robotic exoskeletons for upper and lower limb rehabilitation through a user-centered design approach based on close collaboration between engineers and clinicians. This workshop will present the technological developments and the clinical validation pathways as successful examples of multidisciplinary research leading to clinical translation.
Goals: The workshop aims to present the complete development pipeline that led to two next-generation rehabilitation exoskeletons, FloatEVO for upper-limb rehabilitation and TwinMED for lower-limb rehabilitation, from initial mechatronic design to clinical implementation. Participants will gain insights into: the design choices underlying the mechanical architecture, actuation systems, sensing solutions, and control strategies; the importance of user-centered design and multidisciplinary collaboration; the clinical protocols developed for neurological and orthopaedic rehabilitation; the added value of robotic technologies in improving rehabilitation practice and supporting patient recovery.
Clinical partners involved in the projects will present their direct experience using these devices in real rehabilitation settings and discuss the lessons learned during clinical trials.
Main Topics: Mechatronic design of rehabilitation exoskeletons / Clinical protocol design for neurological and orthopaedic rehabilitation / Clinical validation and outcome assessment / User experience and technology adoption in rehabilitation practice
Keywords: Robotic exoskeletons / Clinical adoption / Human–robot interaction
Workshop Highlights
Workshop Sessions
Main Topics
Mechatronic design of rehabilitation exoskeletons / Clinical protocol design for neurological and orthopaedic rehabilitation / Clinical validation and outcome assessment / User experience and technology adoption in rehabilitation practice
Networking
The workshop aims to foster interdisciplinary discussion between engineers and clinicians, promote collaborations within the rehabilitation robotics community, and stimulate future research initiatives focused on the clinical translation of robotic technologies.
Q&A
Participate in an interactive Q&A session, where you can ask questions and discuss concepts. This is your chance to clarify doubts and expand understanding.