Introduction
Rehabilitation technology tethers technology with rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is the care provided to people or patients that help improve their physical, cognitive, or mental abilities. Rehabilitation helps them regain, maintain or enhance their capabilities, which might have been affected by certain conditions. In short, rehabilitation effectively improves an individual's quality of life.
What Is Rehabilitation Technology?
Any condition impairing the mind or body, making it hard for the individual to perform physical activities or participate actively, is a disability. In short, disability causes participation restrictions and activity limitations. Disability can be due to medical conditions like disorders, diseases, or injuries. With rehabilitation technology, disabled people’s needs to improve their abilities get satisfied with the help of technology. It enables disabled people to receive services like schooling, employment, transportation, living at home, recreation, etc. Rehabilitative technology helps disabled individuals perform routine functions with ease. Rehabilitative technology also makes the caregiver’s or bystander’s job effortless.
What Is Rehabilitation Engineering?
Rehabilitation engineering uses the principles of engineering to solve and assist the person’s disabilities technologically. It also helps improve the physical and mental functioning of the person encountered with a disease, injury, or disorder. Rehabilitation engineers are professionals who build devices required for the rehabilitation process. Rehabilitation robotics, virtual rehabilitation, prosthesis, etc., got designed and constructed by rehabilitation engineers.
What Are the Types of Rehabilitative Technologies?
Some examples of rehabilitative technologies include the following:
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Virtual Reality (VR): Through virtual reality or VR technology, objects, activities, or even emotions appear real. It provides an environment that entertains the users and makes them wholly soaked by the projected idea. VR helps the users understand the concept in-depth. The environment exhibited by VR is entirely computer-generated. VR has many applications in the healthcare system, including rehabilitation. VR in rehabilitation allows disabled patients to accomplish the actions they could not do. VR-assisted rehabilitation is considered more effective than conventional methods. In addition, the healthcare providers will be able to inspect and understand the disabled person’s requirements with the help of virtual reality.
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Robotics: Robotic technology is currently used for rehabilitation purposes, robotic rehabilitation, or robotic rehabilitation therapy. These are machines that get operated automatically. Rehabilitation robots improve the physical functioning of the disabled person. Rehabilitation robots are of two types; exoskeleton and end-effectors. Robotic exoskeletons are devices attached to the patient’s body to bring movement. At the same time, end-effectors are devices peripherally connected to specific points and apply special force on these points, thus creating movements or changes in the joints. In addition, the lost limbs may be substituted by assistive robotic rehabilitation.
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Physical Prosthesis: Prosthesis is a replacement for a lost or non-functional body part. The healthcare provider will assess the patient's capabilities, psychological status, pre-amputation functioning, etc., and decide the type of prostheses required. After introducing the prosthesis, the patients may be instructed about their function and maintenance. They will also be taught about exercises to be carried out afterward.
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Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS): Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a technique that influences the brain to utilize the magnetic field, stimulating the nerve cells. TMS is beneficial in treating depression and obsessive-convulsive disorder. It is also helpful in recovering movement after a stroke. TMS depends on two aspects, magnetism, and electricity. The brain is an electrically active organ. The brain receives and sends information using a small amount of electricity. A magnetic field can influence this electrical activity. TMS works on this basis. TMS has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is used to treat migraine, addictions, depression, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer's disease, eating disorders, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, etc. It improves brain function and helps the patients move better after a stroke. During the procedure, an electromagnetic coil will be placed against the scalp. The magnetic pulses originating from the coil generate a magnetic field. The magnetic field stimulates the electrical activity of the nerves and cells of the brain.
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Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS): Transcranial direct current stimulation, or TDCS, is another non-invasive brain stimulation technique. This technique uses electrodes that generate low currents. These electrodes are placed against the scalp and are responsible for a current flow. This creates an electric field, directly stimulating the brain's electrical activity. The altered brain function due to this reaction helps to regain the abilities lost by various disorders or diseases.
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Musculoskeletal Modeling and Dynamic Simulation: Musculoskeletal modeling generates musculoskeletal models that simulate the function of the musculoskeletal system. It plays a crucial role in musculoskeletal rehabilitation. It helps restore joint stability and regain muscle strength. Musculoskeletal modeling provides more flexibility. Musculoskeletal models are systems that help to recreate musculoskeletal development.
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Motion Analysis: Motion or movement analysis analyses the movements done by the patient. The system contains cameras that capture the movement and project in a three-dimensional view setup. A special computer software will be used for the purpose. The healthcare provider will be able to analyze the movements and decide the type of rehabilitation required. It also helps the healthcare providers understand the challenges faced by the patient.
How Is Rehabilitation Technology Beneficial for Disabled People?
Rehabilitative technology benefits those with disabilities due to aging, trauma, or disorders. The following are the benefits of rehabilitation technology:
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It provides care for the person and their families.
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It helps to assist the person related to employment or work.
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It helps school-aged children get the required schooling and education.
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It helps them gain access to entertainment and arts.
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It will improve their community or social life.
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It helps them gain access to technology and books.
Conclusion
Rehabilitation technology involves specific tools or products that help disabled people improve their physical, social, and mental well-being. It assists disabled people in schooling, employment, and a better social or community life. Rehabilitation technology helps them function more efficiently and easily. It will also assist the bystander or caregiver, making their work more convenient. These technologies are a result of the efforts made by rehabilitation engineers. Rehabilitation technology is also beneficial in improving brain function, especially in the case of patients recovering from a stroke, depression, and other disorders associated with brain functioning.
