Hemiparesis affects over 80 percent of stroke victims, which can reduce the overall quality of life in affected individuals. There are currently no upper-extremity assistive devices on the market to address shoulder hemiparesis, and current treatment options are expensive and ineffective. To address this need, a cable driven device was created to actively lift the affected arm. The activation and position of the device can be controlled by the user for independently performing activities of daily living (ADLs). Validation testing confirmed that the device could accurately and consistently provide the desired range of motion in both flexion/extension and abduction/adduction. The device was proven to be comfortable and intuitive, and was able to allow users to increase their ADL performance.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• DiRuzza, Emily M.
• Rivera, Veronica
• Marzella, Alyssa A.
• Meier, Tess Bisbee

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042618-122853

Advisor

• Fischer, Gregory S.
• Butler, Tiffiny A

Year

• 2018

Date created

• 2018-04-26

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biomedical Engineering
• Interdisciplinary

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2020-12-22