Upper Extremity Rehabilitation Robot Platform: From Unilateral Toward Bimanual

The objective of upper extremity rehabilitation is to improve the functional capabilities of patients, promote their independence, and enhance their overall quality of life. A significant breakthrough in the field of rehabilitation has been the creation of upper extremity rehabilitation robot platforms based on bimanual tasks. In the beginning, most of these platforms were designed for unilateral rehabilitation, focusing on the affected limb of patients. However, recent progress has led to the development of bimanual rehabilitation robot platform, NREH-Bimanual, that can provide simultaneous rehabilitation for both upper limbs. This paper describes four different types of rehabilitation robots: (1) unilateral robots, (2) bilateral robots, (3) bimanual robots, and (4) sensor-based devices. These robots are categorized based on the functions required by stroke survivors, and step-by-step application scenarios are provided.