Robot-Assisted Rehabilitation

In recent years, public health institutes have received comparatively less systematic attention and funding, as health aid and cooperation increasingly focused on major sector programmes. The promise of robotics as a powerful tool in the treatment of stroke and brain injury continues to excite stroke survivors, carers, researchers, developers, and funders.  Since most of the Western European countries introduced and gained experience with this innovative technology, the Eastern European states lag behind the introduction of this supplementary method of treatment. The aim of this project would be to enhance the level of cross-border inter-institutional cooperation, broadening cross-border cooperation and joint research and development activity by introduction of robotic-assisted therapy in treatment of post-stroke and brain injury patients. As a main project output, the National Institute for Medical Rehabilitation in Budapest will have an access to equipment improving upper limb motoric function recovery and a mobile robotic system for overground gait and balance training. The Slovak partner, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice will have an access to equipment improving upper limb motoric function as well as an equipment serving to improve the rehabilitation of lower limb motor function. These devices are based on a therapeutic software with specific programs to involve the patient and increase the efficiency of the therapy. The biggest benefit of these devices is their data collecting function about the achieved results during the treatment. The data obtained will serve as an input to research and publication activity for the universities in close cooperation with the rehabilitation centres. The knowledge transfer is planned to be realized in forms of workshops (5), conferences (2) and a joint publication (1) in order to meet to project specific objective 4.1.