Research/SITAR

Motivation

Rehabilitation robots are ideal for low functioning patients that require assisted training of relatively simple movements. However, as patients recover and regain function, they would need to train complex functions related to daily living which require interaction with physical objects. Robotics solutions for training such complex movements are not practical. This goal of this project is to develop an interactive workstation for training and assessing compelx tasks. This system was originally developed by the Human Robotics Group at the Imperial College London.

This system was commercialized by Tyromtion, Austria as Myro.

System architecture

System for Independent Task-oriented Assessment and Rehabilitation has a highly modular architectures with the following components:

1. An interactive table-top that is touch sensitive and presents audio-visual feedabck.
2. A set of instrumented objects with sensors capable of measuring various physical interactions from a user. These objects also have some preliminary capability to providing audio, visual, and somatosensory feedback during physical interaction.

The table and the objects can be used either independently or together. A characteristic feature of the STIAR is the visual and haptic workspaces during interaction are colocated, which is likely to make the human interaction during complex tasks more natural.

Clinical evaluation

Pilot assessment and usability studies have been completed with the SITAR at Queen’s Sqaure (London) and at CMC Vellore.

Team

Human Robotics Group (Imperial College London) and BioRehab Group (CMC Vellore)