Design and dynamic modeling of a balance rehabilitation cable (BaReCa) robot: integration with patients

Patients with cerebral palsy require specific exercises compared to other neurological patients due to their complex movement patterns. We have developed a new balance rehabilitation cable (BaReCa) robot in which the patient's condition is constantly monitored. If the patient is at risk of falling, the robot first prevents the fall, then identifies a new point of balance, and returns the patient to that point. It then deactivates and continues to monitor the patient's condition. This is an 8-cable robot with cables attached to a reinforced rigid thermoplastic vest. The performance of the robot is examined by simulating a patient with cerebral palsy on a balance board. The results of the simulations indicate that by changing the balance range from 0.2 millimeters to 20 millimeters, the patient's balance retention time changes from 8 seconds to 2 seconds, demonstrating the increased difficulty of these exercises. Consequently, this range should be adjusted based on the doctor's opinion and the patient's performance. Simulations show that when a person is falling, the force a doctor applies to prevent a 50-kilogram person from falling is approximately 450 N, if the safe region is 15 cm. This force is repeatedly endured by the doctor during training sessions, providing a strong rationale for using this robot. The construction and operation of the robot are entirely feasible and achievable as it utilizes an individual's center of mass to detect intervention or nonintervention, making it a practical solution.