Virtual Rehab Using Robots

By 2020, occupational, physical, psychological and behavioural rehabilitation will be performed by robots in our own homes, according to Professor Grigore Burdea.

Burdea, a pioneer in the field of virtual rehabilitation and Director of the Rutgers Tele-Rehabilitation Institute in New Jersey, USA, was one of many speakers at the Virtual Rehabilitation Conference held from 29 June to 2 July 2009 by the University of Haifa, Israel, reports Israel21c. Burdea said, “The future is in low-cost, patient-based devices that will enable the patient to receive continuously tailored therapy from home.”

He predicts that in the near future we will see various aspects of therapy coming together. Instead of a slew of therapists treating each patient, there will one therapist regulating the inclusive virtual application of therapies tailored to each specific patient, says the write-up by Israel21c.

The technologies that will enable this scenario are likely to come in the form of robotics, that is, a robot that can do everything in the patient’ home, from cooking and cleaning to providing therapy specifically suited to the patient’s individual and changing rehabilitation needs.

“A patient might often feel more at ease talking to a robot, and in the comfort of the home and not in a hospital or clinic,” said Burdea.

“Cloud rehabilitation,” will also play a major role in future interactive virtual rehabilitation enhancement. Use of cloud computing technology will facilitate real-time data processing, because it enables the rehabilitation processes taking place in a patient’s home to be recorded on remote servers. That will make the information accessible to a remote therapist, who can then provide analysis and feedback.

Tags: Rutgers Tele-Rehabilitation Institute, Virtual Rehabilitation 2009 Conference