Unit 1: Rehabilitation Engineering
Unit 1: Rehabilitation Engineering
Unit 1: Rehabilitation Engineering
Unit 1
Dr.K.Nirmala
Biomedical Engineering Department
UNIT 1 –Introduction to Rehabilitation Engineering
Session Objectives:
• During all phases of the design process, assistive technology is being planned, the
person’s trunk, lower back, legs, and arms will have the necessary stability and
support at all times.
• variety of switches and sensors that are available like transducers, switches,
joysticks, and keyboards.
• Field trials using mockups, stopwatches, measuring tapes, and a video camera can be
very helpful for collecting such performance data.
• When an individual’s physical abilities do not permit direct selection from among a
set of possible choices, single switch activation by the anatomical control site in
combination with automated row-column scanning of a matrix is often used.
Principle of Simplicity and Intuitive Operation
• Intuitively operation lies in the proper choice of compatible and optimal controls and
displays.
• Compatibility refers to the degree to which relationships between the control actions
and indicator movements are consistent.
• Hence, the rehabilitation engineer needs to be aware of and follow some common
compatibility relationships and basic ergonomic guidelines, such as:
Principle of Simplicity and Intuitive Operation
• The display and corresponding control should bear a physical resemblance to each
other.
• The display and corresponding control should have similar physical arrangements
and/or be aided by guides or markers.
• The display and corresponding control should move in the same direction and within
the same spatial plane
Principle of Simplicity and Intuitive Operation
Principle of Display Suitability
• When there is an option, however, the rehabilitation engineer must take advantage of
the intrinsic advantages of one sensory modality over another for the type of message
or information to be conveyed.
Principle of Allowance for Recovery from Errors
Human error is unavoidable no matter how well something is designed. Hence, the
assistive device must provide some sort of allowance for errors without seriously
compromising system performance or safety.
• devices should be designed to accommodate the user and not vice versa.
• The user should also be given the choice of having auditory, visual, or a combination
of both as feedback indicators
Principle of Mental and Chronological Age Appropriateness
• during assessment and problem definition, the rehabilitation engineer should
ascertain the functional age of the individual to be helped.
Any assistive device intended for an elderly person should follow this:
• Provide more time between the execution of a response and the need for the
next response. Where possible, let the user set the pace of the task.
• Allow more time and practice for learning the material or task to be performed.
Out Comes
Session Outcomes
REFERENCES:
1. Muzumdar, A, Powered Upper Limb Prostheses – Control, Implementation and
Clinical Application, Springer, 2004.
2. Rory A Cooper, An Introduction to Rehabilitation Engineering, Taylor &Francics,
CRC Press, 2006.
3. Horia- Nocholai Teodorecu, L.C.Jain Intelligent systems and technologies in
rehabilitation Engineering; CRC; December 2000.