Comparison of reaching kinematics during mirror and parallel robot assisted movements.

The use of robotic devices in rehabilitation allows therapists to administer the desired movement with the preferred level of assistance while expending minimum effort. Robotic devices have been used in recent years to enhance sensori-motor recovery of the impaired arm in persons with stroke. Despite recent recommendations for bimanual practice, robot-assisted bimanual activities are rarely explored and are limited to mirror image movements. We developed a novel parallel movement mode for the Mirror Image Movement Enabler robotic system and investigated trajectory error (TE) exhibited by healthy adults during parallel and mirror image motions to various target locations. TE values differed for parallel and mirror image motions and for certain target locations, suggesting the importance of considering these factors when developing robot-assisted bimanual activities.