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The Role of Robotics in Medical Care and Global Health

28 October 2024
Introduction

In recent years, robotics has become an integral part of the medical field, revolutionizing how healthcare is delivered [1]. The rise of robotic technologies has provided new tools to improve patient care, particularly in the areas of surgery, rehabilitation, and long-term support for individuals with disabilities. One of the most significant applications is in the rehabilitation of patients who have suffered from physical trauma or disabilities, such as those affected by conflicts or disasters. The field of rehabilitation robotics, including assistive robotics, focuses on designing and utilizing robots to address motor and cognitive impairments resulting from both traumatic and non-traumatic conditions. These technologies either aid in the recovery of lost abilities or assist individuals in managing their impairments more effectively, allowing them to navigate and function optimally in their daily lives [2].

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), war-related injuries, including amputations, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries, significantly increase the need for rehabilitation services, particularly in conflict zones. The WHO reports that nearly 20-30% of those affected by war suffer from severe injuries requiring long-term rehabilitation. These numbers are rising due to the increasing prevalence of conflicts worldwide. In 2019, WHO reported that globally, over 50 million people suffer from injuries each year due to conflicts and disasters, and rehabilitation is a critical component in enabling survivors to regain function and independence. The global shortage of rehabilitation services, including assistive devices and trained professionals, makes it difficult to meet the needs of those injured in wars. WHO emphasizes the urgent need for investment in rehabilitation infrastructure, especially in low-resource and war-affected regions, to address the growing demand [3]. For example, in conflict zones like Gaza, WHO estimates that at least 22,500 people will need extensive rehabilitation due to life-altering injuries, including amputations and polytrauma, which make up a significant portion of the rehabilitation burden [4]​.

Fig.1 Estimating Trauma Rehabilitation Needs in Gaza [5]

Innovative Robotic Solutions for Rehabilitation

Robotic systems used in rehabilitation encompass a variety of technologies designed to assist patients in regaining motor functions and improving their quality of life. These systems include exoskeletons, which provide external support and aid in walking and movement; robotic prosthetics that replace lost limbs with highly functional artificial ones; and rehabilitation gloves, which help patients recover hand dexterity and strength. Exoskeletons, such as ReWalk and Ekso, are widely used for patients with spinal cord injuries, while robotic prosthetics incorporate sensors and actuators to mimic natural limb movements. Rehabilitation gloves, like the Amadeo system, offer targeted therapy for hand function improvement, providing precise, repeatable movements to facilitate recovery [2]​.

Robotic systems used in rehabilitation encompass a variety of technologies designed to assist patients in regaining motor functions and improving their quality of life. These systems include exoskeletons, which provide external support and aid in walking and movement; robotic prosthetics that replace lost limbs with highly functional artificial ones; and rehabilitation gloves, which help patients recover hand dexterity and strength.

Exoskeletons, such as ReWalk and Ekso, are widely used for patients with spinal cord injuries, while robotic prosthetics incorporate sensors and actuators to mimic natural limb movements. Rehabilitation gloves, like the Amadeo system, offer targeted therapy for hand function improvement, providing precise, repeatable movements to facilitate recovery [2]​. Integrating these robotic technologies into specialized rehabilitation centers has significantly improved patient outcomes by offering personalized and data-driven therapy. The use of robotics enables precise and controlled repetition of exercises, promoting neuroplasticity and muscle retraining. These systems allow therapists to monitor progress in real time, adjusting treatments based on the patient’s response. Studies have shown that patients undergoing robotic-assisted rehabilitation experience faster recovery times and improved mobility compared to traditional methods. Robotic systems also reduce the physical strain on therapists, allowing them to focus on guiding and optimizing treatment rather than manually assisting with exercises [6].
Robotic glove technology has become a vital tool in the rehabilitation of patients with upper limb injuries, offering specialized care for hand and arm movement recovery. These devices, like the Amadeo and the SaeboGlove, are used in rehabilitation centers to help patients regain strength and dexterity after traumas or strokes. By providing targeted, controlled assistance, robotic gloves allow patients to perform repetitive hand and finger movements essential for neuroplasticity, facilitating the relearning of motor skills. The impact on patients is profound, with many experiencing faster recovery and improved functionality, especially when combined with traditional physiotherapy methods. Physiotherapists collaborate closely with these devices, using real-time data from the gloves to adjust therapy sessions and ensure optimal results for each patient. This coordination between robotic technology and therapists enhances the overall treatment process, ensuring a more tailored and effective rehabilitation [7].

Integrating these robotic technologies into specialized rehabilitation centers has significantly improved patient outcomes by offering personalized and data-driven therapy. The use of robotics enables precise and controlled repetition of exercises, promoting neuroplasticity and muscle retraining. These systems allow therapists to monitor progress in real time, adjusting treatments based on the patient’s response. Studies have shown that patients undergoing robotic-assisted rehabilitation experience faster recovery times and improved mobility compared to traditional methods. Robotic systems also reduce the physical strain on therapists, allowing them to focus on guiding and optimizing treatment rather than manually assisting with exercises [6].

Robotic glove technology has become a vital tool in the rehabilitation of patients with upper limb injuries, offering specialized care for hand and arm movement recovery. These devices, like the Amadeo and the SaeboGlove, are used in rehabilitation centers to help patients regain strength and dexterity after traumas or strokes. By providing targeted, controlled assistance, robotic gloves allow patients to perform repetitive hand and finger movements essential for neuroplasticity, facilitating the relearning of motor skills. The impact on patients is profound, with many experiencing faster recovery and improved functionality, especially when combined with traditional physiotherapy methods. Physiotherapists collaborate closely with these devices, using real-time data from the gloves to adjust therapy sessions and ensure optimal results for each patient. This coordination between robotic technology and therapists enhances the overall treatment process, ensuring a more tailored and effective rehabilitation [7].
My Experience in Rehabilitation Robotics

In response to the growing role of robotics in medical care and rehabilitation, my research focuses on the development of a robotic hand glove system designed to assist in the rehabilitation of individuals with upper limb impairments. This project aimed to address the limitations of existing rehabilitation gloves by incorporating artificial intelligence (AI)-driven sensors to enhance performance and enable real-time monitoring of patient progress. The system we developed builds upon the SaeboGlove, by introducing a novel sensing mechanism integrated with AI algorithms. This innovation resolves a critical gap in traditional rehabilitation gloves, which cannot often sense and interpret grasping forces accurately. The newly designed wearable glove system includes five low-cost force sensors attached to each fingertip and a wireless data logger to transmit sensor data in real time. These enhancements allow for precise measurement and secure grasp control, addressing the unique challenges posed by patients with limited motor control, such as those affected by stroke or war-related injuries.

In response to the growing role of robotics in medical care and rehabilitation, my research focuses on the development of a robotic hand glove system designed to assist in the rehabilitation of individuals with upper limb impairments. This project aimed to address the limitations of existing rehabilitation gloves by incorporating artificial intelligence (AI)-driven sensors to enhance performance and enable real-time monitoring of patient progress.
The system we developed builds upon the SaeboGlove, by introducing a novel sensing mechanism integrated with AI algorithms. This innovation resolves a critical gap in traditional rehabilitation gloves, which cannot often sense and interpret grasping forces accurately. The newly designed wearable glove system includes five low-cost force sensors attached to each fingertip and a wireless data logger to transmit sensor data in real time. These enhancements allow for precise measurement and secure grasp control, addressing the unique challenges posed by patients with limited motor control, such as those affected by stroke or war-related injuries. This AI-driven system can interpret sensor data directly, enabling faster decision-making and improving users’ feedback in real time. This capability enhances the rehabilitation process by ensuring a more secure and adaptive grasp, crucial for patients aiming to regain hand function. This robotic hand glove system has significant potential in both clinical rehabilitation settings and home-based therapy. Providing a solution for continuous rehabilitation outside formal therapy sessions, this system is especially critical in conflict-affected regions like Palestine, where healthcare infrastructure is limited.

This research work highlights how AI-powered robotics can contribute to rehabilitation efforts in resource-limited areas, offering a low-cost, effective solution to enhance recovery outcomes.

This AI-driven system can interpret sensor data directly, enabling faster decision-making and improving users’ feedback in real time. This capability enhances the rehabilitation process by ensuring a more secure and adaptive grasp, crucial for patients aiming to regain hand function. This robotic hand glove system has significant potential in both clinical rehabilitation settings and home-based therapy. Providing a solution for continuous rehabilitation outside formal therapy sessions, this system is especially critical in conflict-affected regions like Palestine, where healthcare infrastructure is limited.

This research work highlights how AI-powered robotics can contribute to rehabilitation efforts in resource-limited areas, offering a low-cost, effective solution to enhance recovery outcomes.
In response to the growing role of robotics in medical care and rehabilitation, my research focuses on the development of a robotic hand glove system designed to assist in the rehabilitation of individuals with upper limb impairments.
This project aimed to address the limitations of existing rehabilitation gloves by incorporating artificial intelligence (AI)-driven sensors to enhance performance and enable real-time monitoring of patient progress.
The system we developed builds upon the SaeboGlove, by introducing a novel sensing mechanism integrated with AI algorithms. This innovation resolves a critical gap in traditional rehabilitation gloves, which cannot often sense and interpret grasping forces accurately. The newly designed wearable glove system includes five low-cost force sensors attached to each fingertip and a wireless data logger to transmit sensor data in real time. These enhancements allow for precise measurement and secure grasp control, addressing the unique challenges posed by patients with limited motor control, such as those affected by stroke or war-related injuries. This AI-driven system can interpret sensor data directly, enabling faster decision-making and improving users’ feedback in real time. This capability enhances the rehabilitation process by ensuring a more secure and adaptive grasp, crucial for patients aiming to regain hand function. This robotic hand glove system has significant potential in both clinical rehabilitation settings and home-based therapy. Providing a solution for continuous rehabilitation outside formal therapy sessions, this system is especially critical in conflict-affected regions like Palestine, where healthcare infrastructure is limited.
This research work highlights how AI-powered robotics can contribute to rehabilitation efforts in resource-limited areas, offering a low-cost, effective solution to enhance recovery outcomes.
Robotic Integration in Post-War Rehabilitation: Challenges and Opportunities

Rehabilitation centers in conflict areas like Palestine face significant infrastructure and resource limitations that hinder the widespread adoption of robotic technologies. Many centers are partially or totally damaged, lack reliable electricity, and have inadequate medical supplies, which hinders the implementation of advanced rehabilitation tools like robotic systems. Gaza, for example, has seen its healthcare infrastructure decimated due to ongoing hostilities, leaving only a fraction of hospitals and rehabilitation centers operational ​[8]. The availability of specialized equipment, such as robotic gloves and exoskeletons, is severely constrained by limited funding and restricted access to essential medical supplies due to blockades and import restrictions.

Rehabilitation centers in conflict areas like Palestine face significant infrastructure and resource limitations that hinder the widespread adoption of robotic technologies. Many centers are partially or totally damaged, lack reliable electricity, and have inadequate medical supplies, which hinders the implementation of advanced rehabilitation tools like robotic systems. Gaza, for example, has seen its healthcare infrastructure decimated due to ongoing hostilities, leaving only a fraction of hospitals and rehabilitation centers operational ​[8]. 

The availability of specialized equipment, such as robotic gloves and exoskeletons, is severely constrained by limited funding and restricted access to essential medical supplies due to blockades and import restrictions. Moreover, the adoption of robotics in rehabilitation faces other challenges related to high costs and the technical complexity of these systems. Many centers lack the financial resources to purchase, maintain, and update robotic rehabilitation devices. Another significant constraint is the training of medical staff. In conflict zones, physiotherapists and rehabilitation specialists often lack opportunities for specialized training in robotic technologies, which further hampers their integration into regular patient care. Without sufficient education and hands-on experience, staff members may not be equipped to fully leverage the benefits that robotics can offer inpatient rehabilitation​ ​[6]. These challenges highlight the need for both international support and local capacity building to ensure that cutting-edge rehabilitation solutions can reach and benefit patients in conflict-affected regions like Palestine.

In other conflict-affected regions like Syria, rehabilitation centers have also seen success with robotic technologies. For example, in Jordan’s Al-Bashir Hospital, which serves many Syrian war victims, robotic prosthetics have been successfully used to assist amputees in regaining limb functionality. The hospital has leveraged international partnerships to integrate advanced robotic solutions, demonstrating that even in conflict zones, robotics can make a significant difference in patient outcomes​ ​[9].

As technology continues to evolve, planning for the broader adoption of these innovations in rehabilitation centers across war-affected areas is essential to support the long-term recovery of victims. Achieving this vision requires sustained investment, training for healthcare professionals, and infrastructure improvements. Through enhanced international cooperation, the necessary resources can be made available to scale these innovations, enabling more personalized and effective care for patients, and contributing to the sustainable rebuilding of conflict-impacted communities.

References

1. Munih, M., & Bajd, T. (2011). Rehabilitation robotics.Technology and Health Care, 19(6), 483-495.

2. Johnson, M. J., Bui, K., & Rahimi, N. (2020). Medical and Assistive Robotics in Global Health. Handbook of Global Health, 1-46.

3. Cooper, R. A., Smolinski, G., Candiotti, J. L., Satpute, S., Grindle, G. G., Sparling, T. L., … & Pasquina, P. F. (2024, June). Current State, Needs, and Opportunities for Wearable Robots in Military Medical Rehabilitation and Force Protection. In Actuators (Vol. 13, No. 7, p. 236). MDPI.

4. World Health Organization (WHO analysis highlights vast unmet rehabilitation needs in Gaza)

5. World Health Organization (rehab-injury-estimate-gaza—final.pdf (who.int))

6. Banyai, A. D., & Brișan, C. (2024, August). Robotics in physical rehabilitation: Systematic Review. In Healthcare (Vol. 12, No. 17, p. 1720). MDPI.

7. Almassri, A., Koyanagi, K. I., Wada, C., Horio, K., & Hasan, W. Z. W. (2023, August). Development of a Robotic Hand Glove System for Secure Grasp with AI Wireless Sensor Data. In 2023 IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics and Automation (ICMA) (pp. 669-674). IEEE.

8. World Health Organization WHO analysis highlights vast unmet rehabilitation needs in Gaza

9. Jordan’s Al-Bashir Hospital, Amputees receive new prosthetics in Amman | Jordan Times