Model Parameters Estimation of a Robotic Device for Upper Limb Neuromotor Rehabilitation

Robotic therapy is a valid approach for post-stroke rehabilitation, offering versatility over different treatment phases and actively engaging the patient in a process aimed at partially or completely restoring motor functions, which are essential to regaining self-sufficiency in basic activities of daily living. Driving is a fundamental daily activity reflecting physical, social and economic independence. In this context, driving simulators can play a significant role in upper limbs rehabilitation, permitting bidirectional interaction between the system and the participant and an extensive data collection to support patient performance evaluation while allowing the gradual reintegration of one of the most relevant daily activities. This work presents an initial setup of a post-stroke rehabilitation driving simulator and focuses on estimating the electro-mechanical model parameters representing the physical device, exploiting both encoder and voltage sensor information installed in the setup. Finally, the model is validated comparing the model predicted velocity and torque with the experimental counterparts.