The Joint Laboratory Wearable Robotics Systems and ICT Technology for Functional Rehabilitation (WeRehab Lab) between Azienda USL Toscana Nord Ovest and the BioRobotics Instutute of Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna aims to develop research and study activities finalized at innovation in the ICT and robotics for health field, with particular attention to motor and cognitive rehabilitation in neurological, orthopedic and musculoskeletal areas of interest.
Main laboratory activities concern upper limb motor assessment and rehabilitation in neurological patients.
The WeRehab Lab is equipped with following robotic devices:

• NeuroExos Elbow Module (NEEM): an active elbow orthosis developed by the BioRobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, aimed to assist the flexion-extension elbow movement.
• NeuroExos Shoulder-Elbow Module (NESM-α): a 4-active-8-passive DOFs orthosis for the mobilization of the shoulder and elbow, developed by the BioRobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna
• MObile roboT for upper limb neurOrtho REhabilitation (MOTORE): a planar mobile robot with a kinesthetic haptic interface which can give visual and force feedback to its users, developed by Humanware in collaboration with Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna.

Principal Investigators

Prof. Nicola Vitiello
Dr. Simona Crea
Dr. Federico Posteraro (AUSL Toscana Nord-Ovest)

Location and contacts

Functional Recovery and Re-education Unit of the Hospital of Versilia, Rehabilitation Department, AUSL Toscana Nord-Ovest
Via Aurelia 335 - 55041 Lido di Camaiore (LU)
Tel 05846057061

Recent publications

Posteraro F., Crea S., Mazzoleni S., Berteanu M., Ciobanu I., Vitiello N., Cempini M., Gervasio S., Mrachacz-Kersting N., Technologically-advanced assessment of upper-limb spasticity: a pilot study. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. Sep 4, 2017;

Crea, S., Cempini, M., Mazzoleni, S., Carrozza, M. C., Posteraro, F., & Vitiello, N., Phase-II Clinical Validation of a Powered Exoskeleton for the Treatment of Elbow Spasticity. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 11, 261. 2017.

Projects

2016- present: Research project RONDA - “RObotica indossabile personalizzata per la riabilitazioNe motoria Dell’arto superiore in pAzienti neurologici. Studio pilota. Funded by Tuscany Region (Italy), FAS Salute 2007–2013 program.