Browsing by Author "Veneman, Jan F."
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Item Benchmarking Bipedal Locomotion: A Unified Scheme for Humanoids, Wearable Robots, and Humans: A Unified Scheme for Humanoids, Wearable Robots, and Humans(2015-09-10) Torricelli, Diego; Gonzalez-Vargas, Jose; Veneman, Jan F.; Mombaur, Katja; Tsagarakis, Nikos; del-Ama, Antonio J.; Gil-Agudo, Angel; Moreno, Juan C.; Pons, Jose L.; Tecnalia Research & InnovationIn the field of robotics, there is a growing awareness of the importance of benchmarking [1], [2]. Benchmarking not only allows the assessment and comparison of the performance of different technologies but also defines and supports the standardization and regulation processes during their introduction to the market. Its importance has been recently emphasized by the adoption of the technology readiness levels (TRLs) in the Horizon 2020 information and communication technologies by the European Union as an important guideline to assess when a technology can shift from one TRL to the other. The objective of this article is to define the basis of a benchmarking scheme for the assessment of bipedal locomotion that could be applied and shared across different research communities.Item Clinical validation of a novel postural support device for hospitalized sub-acute post stroke wheelchair users(2016-04-07) Veneman, Jan F.; Jung, Je Hyung; Manterola Del Puerto, Iraitz; Seco Rodríguez, Maria Luz; Camiruaga Zalbidea, Iñaki; Cardoso Martin, Sergio; Mendoza Arteche, Lorea; Alemany Herrera, Jorge; Tecnalia Research & Innovation; Medical TechnologiesPurpose: We present a novel wheelchair posture support device (WPSD) and its clinical validation. The device was developed in order to assure correct sitting posture and to reduce the time spent by caregivers for re-positioning of hospitalized, wheelchair-bound, post-acute stroke patients. Method: The device was validated with 16 subjects during a period of 5 days in which use of the device was compared with regular care practice. Results: The device was used for the five consecutive days in 69% of patients, while for 6% it was not suitable; 25% did not complete the 5 days for reasons unrelated to the device. Caregivers needed to re-position the patients that used the device for the full 5 days (n=11) on an average 52% less often when using the device, as compared to regular practice. Furthermore, the device was rated as usable and functional by the caregivers while significantly reducing perception of trunk and shoulder pain in patients during its use. Conclusions: The newly designed WPSD is a valuable system for the improvement of medical assistance to wheelchair-bound post-stroke patients by reducing pain and number of re-positioning manoeuvres. The WPSD might be applicable to any group of patients who need posture control in either wheelchair or common chair with arms support.Item Consistent arm rehabilitation from clinical to home environment - Integrating the universal haptic drive into the TeleReha software platform(Springer International Publishing, 2013) Veneman, Jan F.; Jung, Je Hyung; Perry, Joel C.; Keller, Thierry; Tecnalia Research & Innovation; Medical TechnologiesThis paper describes the current work on integrating a haptic force feedback device, named the Universal Haptic Drive (UHD), for upper limb training into a software platform for telerehabilitation which has been developed for at-home rehabilitation after stroke. The aim of the integration is to provide a consistent training and assessment platform during the entire rehabilitation period, from clinical facilities to home, while also allowing less specialized supervision to rehabilitate a stroke patient.Item Robot-supported assessment of balance in standing and walking(2017-08-14) Shirota, Camila; van Asseldonk, Edwin; Matjačić, Zlatko; Vallery, Heike; Barralon, Pierre; Maggioni, Serena; Buurke, Jaap H.; Veneman, Jan F.; Tecnalia Research & Innovation; Medical TechnologiesClinically useful and efficient assessment of balance during standing and walking is especially challenging in patients with neurological disorders. However, rehabilitation robots could facilitate assessment procedures and improve their clinical value. We present a short overview of balance assessment in clinical practice and in posturography. Based on this overview, we evaluate the potential use of robotic tools for such assessment. The novelty and assumed main benefits of using robots for assessment are their ability to assess 'severely affected' patients by providing assistance-as-needed,as well as to provide consistent perturbations during standing and walking while measuring the patient's reactions. We provide a classification of robotic devices on three aspects relevant to their potential application for balance assessment: 1) how the device interacts with the body, 2) in what sense the device is mobile, and 3) on what surface the person stands or walks when using the device. As examples, nine types of robotic devices are described, classified and evaluated for their suitability for balance assessment. Two example cases of robotic assessments based on perturbations during walking are presented. We conclude that robotic devices are promising and can become useful and relevant tools for assessment of balance in patients with neurological disorders, both in research and in clinical use. Robotic assessment holds the promise to provide increasingly detailed assessment that allows to individually tailor rehabilitation training, which may eventually improve training effectiveness.