Advancing Precision Rehabilitation Through a Sensor-Based 6-DoF Robotic Exoskeleton - Clinical Validation and Ergonomic Assessment

Q: What problem does the study address in upper-extremity rehabilitation?

Conventional therapies often lack accurate motion tracking. Robotic exoskeletons can help, but ergonomic misalignment and limited adaptability have been obstacles.

Q: What did the kinematic comparison show between AssistOn-Arm and Xsens MVN?

Kinematic data captured concurrently demonstrated strong agreement between the two conditions, supporting reliable alignment with natural joint axes.

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by kopisore

Effective upper-extremity rehabilitation depends on intensive, accurate movement training, yet conventional therapies often lack reliable motion tracking. Sensor-based robotic exoskeletons can address this gap, but ergonomic misalignment and limited adaptability reduce clinical usefulness. This study evaluated usability and ergonomics of the self-aligning AssistOn-Arm, integrating ergonomic design and back-drivable actuation. Thirty healthy participants and twelve patients with shoulder impairments completed predefined tasks in participant-active and device-active modes. Concurrent kinematic data from AssistOn-Arm and Xsens MVN showed strong agreement. Quantitative results found no significant differences in several joint motions (p > 0.05), with differences limited to sagittal hyperextension and internal rotation (p < 0.05), supporting objective alignment with natural joint axes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Highlights

Main findings

Implications of main findings

Abstract

Keywords

1. Introduction

Article Advancing Precision Rehabilitation Through a Sensor-Based 6-DoF Robotic Exoskeleton: Clinical Validation and Ergonomic Assessment Hande Argunsah 1, *, Begum Yalcin 2, Mehmet Alper Ergin 3, Gokay Coruhlu 3, Mustafa Yalcin 3, Volkan Patoglu 3 and Zeynep Guven 4 Academic Editors: Andrea Tacchino and Jessica Podda Received: 6 October 2025 Revised: 7 November 2025 Accepted: 17 November 2025 Published: 23 December 2025 Copyright: © 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. 1 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul 34752, Turkey 2 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul 34752, Turkey; [begum.yalcin@acibadem.edu.tr](begum.yalcin@acibadem.edu.tr) 3 Faculty of Engineering, Natural Sciences of Sabancı University, Istanbul 34956, Turkey; [aergin@alumni.sabanciuniv.edu](aergin@alumni.sabanciuniv.edu) (M.A.E.); [gokaycoruhlu@alumni.sabanciuniv.edu](gokaycoruhlu@alumni.sabanciuniv.edu) (G.C.); [myalcin@alumni.sabanciuniv.edu](myalcin@alumni.sabanciuniv.edu) (M.Y.); [volkan.patoglu@sabanciuniv.edu](volkan.patoglu@sabanciuniv.edu) (V.P.) 4 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul 34752, Turkey; [zeynep.guven@acibadem.edu.tr](zeynep.guven@acibadem.edu.tr) * [Correspondence: hande.argunsah@acibadem.edu.tr](Correspondence: hande.argunsah@acibadem.edu.tr) Highlights What are the main findings? • The self-aligning 6-DoF robotic exoskeleton accurately replicated upper-extremity kinematics across passive and active modes, confirming reliable motion tracking and ergonomic alignment. • Clinical pilot testing in patients with shoulder impairments demonstrated high usability, comfort, and repeatability across all movement tasks. What are the implications of the main findings? • These results validate the feasibility of sensor-based robotic systems for objective assessment and personalized upper-limb rehabilitation. • The study supports the integration of self-aligning exoskeletons into precision rehabilitation frameworks to enhance patient recovery and clinical decision-making. Abstract Effective upper-extremity rehabilitation requires intensive and precise movement training, yet conventional therapies lack accurate motion tracking. Robotic exoskeletons address this limitation but are often hindered by ergonomic misalignment and limited adaptability. The AssistOn-Arm, a novel self-aligning exoskeleton, integrates ergonomic design and back-drivable actuation to enhance comfort and facilitate natural user interaction. This study aimed to assess the usability and ergonomics of the device in healthy participants and to conduct a pilot clinical evaluation in individuals with upper-extremity impairments. Thirty healthy participants and twelve patients with shoulder impairments performed predefined tasks under participant-active and device-active conditions. Kinematic data captured concurrently with AssistOn-Arm and Xsens MVN demonstrated strong agreement between conditions. Quantitative analysis revealed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in flexion, elevation, abduction–adduction, and external rotation, indicating reliable alignment with natural joint axes. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed only in sagittal hyperextension and internal rotation, reflecting device mechanical constraints. The study confirms the clinical feasibility of AssistOn-Arm as a sensor-driven, self-aligning exoskeleton that bridges engineering innovation and precision rehabilitation, paving the way for its integration into clinical practice. Keywords: sensor-based rehabilitation; upper-extremity exoskele

FAQs

What problem does the study address in upper-extremity rehabilitation?

Conventional therapies often lack accurate motion tracking. Robotic exoskeletons can help, but ergonomic misalignment and limited adaptability have been obstacles.

How was the AssistOn-Arm evaluated in the study?

Thirty healthy participants and twelve patients with shoulder impairments performed predefined tasks under participant-active and device-active conditions.

What did the kinematic comparison show between AssistOn-Arm and Xsens MVN?

Kinematic data captured concurrently demonstrated strong agreement between the two conditions, supporting reliable alignment with natural joint axes.

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by kopisore