Robots used in robotic rehabilitation are electromechanical, computer-assisted therapy tools that support and increase functions, accelerate recovery, report the course of the disease, and make the treatment somewhat enjoyable.

Rehabilitation robots are divided into two according to their intended use:

1. Gait robots

2. Arm and hand robots

Gait training robot (Lokomat)

The most common and most advanced walking robot in the world is Lokomat developed and sold by Hocoma. Lokomat is used in gait disorders related to the brain, spinal cord, nerve, muscle, and bone diseases. It trains the patient and corrects her/his walking. It evaluates the effectiveness of the treatment by measuring muscle strength, range of motion, and spasticity before and after treatment with objective numerical values.

While the patient is walking on the treadmill, s/he follows her/his walking on the screen opposite. Images on the virtual screen both motivate the patient and speed up the treatment. During robot-assisted walking, gait disturbances are shown to the patient and, thus, this helps the patient correct his/her walking, and leads to normal walking. In addition, the patient has the opportunity to watch the disorders and the gains s/he has made through education on the screen.

Lokomat has two separate robots.

a. Pediatric (child) robot

b. Adult robot

The reason for using separate robots for children and adults is that children are smaller than adults in size and have different gait patterns. Extending or shortening the length of the leg apparatus of a single robot may not be sufficient for gait training for both children and adults.

Gait training of the child patients with Lokomat: 

With a trunk-supported suspension system, the patient is suspended on the treadmill to stand upright. In the walking robot, movements similar to normal walking are performed with the help of robots placed on the legs of the patient. The patient's body weight, pace, and shape of walking are controlled by a computer program. The patient can monitor the situation from the virtual reality screen in front of him. While the robot moves the legs as in normal walking, the response of the body to these movements is transmitted to the computer with the sensors, and the graphs are used to determine which stage of walking has problems.

Gait training of adult patients with Lokomat: 

The patient follows the movements on the computer screen while walking accompanied by a physiotherapist. It is an important advantage of the system that it makes movements very similar to normal walking and constantly stimulates the centers in the brain. Since the patient walks in different environments on the virtual reality screen, the patient continues to walk without getting bored during the treatment. The signals received from the legs moving with the help of the robot and sent to the brain help the development of the brain's restructuring and adaptation ability called neuroplasticity. Thus, the healing process is accelerated and the way of walking takes a form close to normal. Robot-assisted walking provides significant improvement in the gait functions of patients with some leg movement. It does not provide functional improvement in patients whose legs do not move at all due to a complete incision in their spinal cord, but it helps to reduce spasticity, accelerate metabolism, and correct the circulatory and respiratory systems.

Diseases in which the gait robot is useful:

• Stroke (Hemiplegia)

• MS (Multiple sclerosis)

• CP (Cerebral palsy)

• Parkinson's disease

• Spinal cord injuries

• Paraplegia

• Traumatic brain injury

• Total hip replacement

• Knee diseases

• Myopathy (muscle diseases)

• Weakness in leg muscles for various reasons

ARM AND HAND ROBOT (ArmeoSpring)

Arm and hand robots are devices used to regain arm and hand functions for patients who have a loss of range of motion and muscle strength in their shoulders, elbows, and hands. The arm robot (ArmeoSpring) enables the patient to use his/her shoulder, elbow, and hand better and to be more independent in daily life with games similar to our daily life activities in the computer environment. The effectiveness and success of the treatment are evaluated objectively on the computer with the measurements made before and after the treatment.

ArmeoSpring is the most common exoskeleton robot used in arm and hand rehabilitation. ArmeoSpring provides independent arm and hand training for patients with moderate to severe impairments. It motivates the patient in arm and hand training. It reports the improvements by analyzing the progress objectively.

Arm and hand rehabilitation work with ArmeoSpring:

With the ManovoSpring module added to ArmeoSpring, it allows even patients with severe disorders to move their hands in a large three-dimensional area. ManovoSpring is specially designed for the training of grasping and releasing movements of the hand in conditions of stroke, traumatic brain injury, and other neurological disorders with impaired hand functions.

In the robotic rehabilitation unit, the patients are taken into the program for 3-5 sessions per week, 25-30 minutes per session, although it varies according to their condition.

Diseases in which arm and hand robot are useful:

- Stroke

- CP (Cerebral palsy)

- Tetraplegia

- Traumatic brain injury

- Anoxic brain injuries

- Neurological disorders of the arm and hand