Importance

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Abstract

A rehabilitation system employs a force feedback system, such as a force feedback glove, to simulate virtual deformable objects. Prior to rehabilitation, the patient places his or her hand in a sensing glove which measures the force exertable by the patient's digits. Information from the sensing glove is received by an interface and transmitted to a computer where the information can be used to diagnose the patient's manual capability. The computer generates rehabilitation control signals for a force feedback glove. The patient places his or her hand in the force feedback glove and attempts to bring the digits together as though grasping the virtual object. The force feedback glove resists the squeezing movement of the digits in a manner that simulates the tactile feel of the virtual object. The force exerted by the fingers of the patient is fed back to the computer control system where it can be recorded and/or used to modify future rehabilitation control signals. The basic concept of rehabilitation in virtual environment with force feedback can also be applied to other appendages of the human body including arms, legs, neck, knees, elbows and other articulated joints.

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First Claim