%0 Journal Article
%T Bra.Di.P.O. and P.I.G.R.O.: Innovative Devices for Motor Learning Programs
%A Guido Belforte
%A Gabriella Eula
%A Silvia Sirolli
%A Paolo Bois
%A Elisabetta Geda
%A Federico D'Agata
%A Franco Cauda
%A Sergio Duca
%A Marina Zettin
%A Roberta Virgilio
%A Giuliano Geminiani
%A Katiuscia Sacco
%J Journal of Robotics
%D 2014
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2014/656029
%X Two mechatronics prototypes, useful for robotic neurotreatments and new clinical trainings, are here presented. P.I.G.R.O. (pneumatic interactive gait rehabilitation orthosis) is an active exoskeleton with an electropneumatic control. It imposes movements on lower limbs in order to produce in the patient¡¯s brain proper motor cortex activation. Bra.Di.P.O. (brain discovery pneumatic orthosis) is an MR-compatible device, designed to improve fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) analysis. The two devices are presented together because both are involved in the study of new robotic treatments of patients affected by ictus or brain stroke or in some motor learning experimental investigations carried out on healthy subjects. 1. Introduction According to the theory of neuroplasticity, which neurologists have accepted for only a few decades, the brain is capable of ¡°learning¡± even in adult age and following injuries, if appropriately stimulated [1, 2]. In recent years, a number of devices have been developed [3, 4] that can stimulate certain functions or simulate physiological movements so locomotor and cognitive functions in brain-damaged patients can be investigated using fMRI, or functional magnetic resonance imaging [5, 6]. Functional magnetic resonance imaging has made it possible to look into the human brain ¡°in vivo¡± for the first time, literally ¡°watching it at work.¡± In addition, fMRI is used on healthy subjects to gain an understanding of our brain¡¯s complex capabilities in studies of motor learning. The paper presents two optimised electropneumatic prototypes, whose previous design can be read in [7¨C12]. The first one, called Bra.Di.P.O. (brain discovery pneumatic orthosis), is used to move the subject¡¯s feet during the fMRI analysis in order to impose a controlled movement and stimulate the motor cortex during the test. The other one, called P.I.G.R.O. (pneumatic interactive gait rehabilitation orthosis), is an active electropneumatic exoskeleton for lower limbs motor exercises. Designed at the Politecnico di Torino, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, the two devices have to be used together in the study of motor imagery with healthy subjects or not, to evaluate changes in brain plasticity at the level of motor circuits and motor imagination. Their common and main advantages are physiotherapist¡¯s work improvement; movement imposed with repeatability; electronic data acquisition; continuous measurement of the whole test parameters; different clinical protocols possibility. In comparison with their previous design [7], these
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jr/2014/656029/