oa Home-Based Rehabilitation Systems

With the goal to enhance easily accessible telehealth infrastructure, we demonstrate an in-house and cost effective solution to enable rehabilitation that can provide a simple alternative for conventional therapeutic methods. We also test the effectiveness of this system in addressing shoulder rehabilitation by measuring the subjects' reflex reactions through repetitive trials. A commercially-available low-cost camera sensor was used to play a ball tracking game to test the system. The objective of the game was to track a ball involving only shoulder movements, across the screen for about 30 seconds with increasing difficulty per level. Single trial lasted for few minutes per day and for four days per subject. Reflex times of each subject were recorded, monitored and the data were analyzed. A group of 23 healthy subjects volunteered for the trials. A case study with a single subject with shoulder injury was also carried out. Statistical analysis showed significant improvement in the movement of the injured shoulder. The game along with the sensor proves to be a new rehabilitation method that can simulate a vibrant therapeutic environment. Results show that the game is effective in bringing about an improvement in the subjects shoulder flexion. The capabilities of the game and the device that includes customization based on the need, opens a new platform in the field of rehabilitation.