2 Rehabilitation Robotics from Past to Present – A Historical Perspective

Abstract

Popular culture presents the image of a robot as a mechanical, humanoid device, often evil in intent. Those with a slightly more informed technical knowledge would point to the industrial robot arm of the automotive factory, Even professional engineers, are affected to some extent or other by these popular images. In attempting to survey four decades of the development of rehabilitation robotics it is wise to start from an official definition. The Robot Institute of America defined a robot as

“A re-programmable, multifunctional manipulator designed to move material, parts, tools or specialized devices through variable programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks.”