Features

ALEx is a six DoFs mechanically compliant exoskeleton for the human upper limb. The exoskeleton features four DoFs sensorized and actuated joints (the shoulder abduction-adduction, SH-Abd-Ad, rotation, SH-Rot, and flexion-extension, SH-Flx-Ext, and the elbow flexion-extension, EL-Flx-Ext) and two sensorized and passive joints (the forearm prono-supination, FO-Pro-Sup, and the wrist flexion-extension, WR-Flx-Ext).

Thanks to its special shoulder joint kinematics, the exoskeleton can be easily put on and easily adapted to different anthropometric sizes.

ALEx can cover about 90% of the natural workspace of the human arm, allowing to provide robotic assistance during the execution of natural spatial movements .

5 reasons for adopting ALEx in upper limb rehabilitation:

UNIQUE WORKSPACE

Alex has been designed around human arm capabilities. Thanks to its innovative and patented kinematics Alex can cover the full workspace of human arm, allowing rehabilitation of any every day life movements, such as self-care, dressing and eating needs.

SELECTIVE JOINT CONTROL

Treatment can be tailored at patient needs, with selective control of torque and movement at the level of shoulder and elbow joints

ASSISTANCE AS NEEDED

Thanks to redundant sensing, Alex can detect any patient’s small intention of movement and provide a variable level of assistance according to patients’ needs. It is indicated for usage in both acute and chronic phase of stroke upper limb rehabilitation

EXTREME LIGHT AND WEARABLE DESIGN

Wearing the Alex exoskeleton is extremely easy and thanks to its lightness, it can be passively moved with no effort from the patient.

START AND PLAY

Forget complex calibration procedures needed to use the device. Thanks to its absolute position sensors, Alex is ready to use at power up, with no calibration procedures required

Range of motion:

(the zero configuration is assumed when the upper arm segment is parallel to the trunk and the elbow joint flexed at 90 deg):

[SH-Abd-Add] 0 to 110 deg
[SH-Rot] -40 to 60 deg
[SH-Flx-Ext] 10 to 155 deg
[EL-Flx-Ext] , 0 to 160 deg
[FO-Pro-Sup] -90 to 90 deg
[WR-Flx-Ext] -50 to 50 deg

Force (measured at the handle):

[maximum continuous force] 50 N
[maximum peak force] 100 N .

Torque:

[maximum continuous joint torque ]40 Nm
[maximum peak torque] 80 Nm

Speed:

[maximum joint speed] 500 deg/sec.

Documents:

Download data sheets

Evaluation of a New Exoskeleton for Upper Limb Post-stroke Neuro-rehabilitation: Preliminary Results

Replace, Repair, Restore, Relieve – Bridging Clinical and Engineering Solutions in Neurorehabilitation, Biosystems & Biorobotics Volume 7, 2014, pp 637-645