Development of Automated System for Facilitating the Movement of Differently Abled Persons

Abstract

There are numbers of people who suffer from partial paralysis (paresis) or other neurological strokes.
The proposed work mainly focuses on physical therapy to improve the level of mobility of stroke
victims. For helping neurologically damaged patients during therapy, an upper limb robotic orthotic
is developed. The system consists of four servo motors which are used for pattern generation for the
four fingers with a crank-shaft mechanism attached, which converts their rotational motion into
linear motion. The purpose of this motion is to reduce spasticity, paresis, and muscular tone by
promoting early movement of the hand after suffering a stroke or other neurological conditions, and
to encourage neuroplastic changes in the brain, by creating new connections between functional
neurons to control affected limbs. The automated control is performed with the help of Proteus
software and Arduino based system. The unique system is proposed to help the patient to for
performing and practicing their therapy program. The proposed work aims to develop a low cost and
time efficient solution for the finger rehabilitation. In proposed system using Arduino servo motors
are operated and that servo motor rotates the crank shaft. When crank shaft moves up and down the
exercise of fingers will be done. The 4 buttons will operate 4 servo motors in various predefined
manner like first button will operate only one motor so exercise of only one finger will done and same
manner second will for two, third button for three fingers and forth button for exercise of four motors.