Comparison of two methods of bed-to/from-wheelchair transfer in patients with hemiparetic stroke.

OBJECTIVES: The ability to transfer between surfaces is essential for wheelchair users' independence. We hypothesized that transfer of hemiparetic stroke patients would be improved by using surfaces at the same height with no gap or obstacle between them. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to compare the difficulty of two transfer methods as a pilot study. Thirteen hemiparetic stroke patients were transferred from a platform table to a chair (wheelchair or flat chair) and from the chair to the table using the regular and lateral transfer methods. Functional Independence Measure (FIM) transfer score in both transfer methods and Stroke Impairment Assessment Set (SIAS) score were measured. RESULTS: The FIM transfer score significantly increased in the lateral transfer condition compared with the regular transfer condition, indicating that the former method reduced the transfer difficulty, regardless of the SIAS scores. CONCLUSIONS: The transfer difficulty of patients with hemiparetic stroke decreases when using the lateral transfer method. The lateral transfer method is easy, potentially helping prevent care-related injuries among caregivers.

Lateral Transfer Assist Robot (LTAR): Development of a proof-of-concept prototype.

BACKGROUND: Falls during transfer to and from a wheelchair are associated with numerous problems. Factors responsible for difficulty in transferring include horizontal/vertical gaps between surfaces; obstacles, such as armrests; and complicated brake/footrests configurations before transferring. Moreover, controlling a wheelchair sufficiently close to the transfer surface within the confined home space is difficult. OBJECTIVE: We described the design of the novel Lateral Transfer Assist Robot (LTAR) for solving problems during transfer. Furthermore, the effectiveness and usability of the robot were preliminary examined in healthy adults. METHOD: The transfer problems and basic designs were organized. The effectiveness of the prototype was measured by three-dimensional motion analysis and questionnaire. RESULTS: The prototype LTAR was developed. With just a push on a button, the footplate lowers to the floor and the seat and armrest lowers to the height of the seating surface to fill the gap between the surfaces. Using these features, users can transfer by simply shifting their buttocks sideways. Additionally, LTAR has omnidirectional wheels that help move it within a narrow space. The LTAR was confirmed to reduce the physical and subjective burden, except for maneuverability. CONCLUSION: The LTAR was found to be effective for home use and reducing burden of transfer.

Designing a robotic smart home for everyone, especially the elderly and people with disabilities.

We initiated the Robotic Smart Home (RSH) project to develop a comfortable, safe home environment for all people, including the elderly and individuals with disabilities. An important consideration when introducing robots into a home environment is the confined living space, the so-called space problem. The RSH project plans to simultaneously develop robots and an architectural design for living spaces to create an optimal home environment that will help elderly people live independently at home for longer periods. The RSH accommodates the following three robotics and assistive systems: mobility and transfer assist system, operational assist system, and information assist system. The mobility and transfer assist system includes three types of devices (lifting type, lateral-transfer type, and suspension type), which can be available to users as appropriate according to the severity of their disability. The operational assist system combines a hand robot with an environmental control system for the convenience of users. An information assist system connects the RSH with remote locations for communication. Inside the RSH, a home automation and monitoring system connected to the Internet of Things provides residents with comfort and security. As part of this project, two RSH centers have been established for effective facility adoption.