Robust control of a hip-joint rehabilitation robot

Physical therapy aimed at restoring patient limbs functionality after a stroke. Rehabilitation robotics has the potential to reduce the physical workload of physiotherapists. Despite research effort in advanced control methods, rehabilitation robot control is still a challenge. In this paper, a control strategy for a hip-joint rehabilitation robot based on generalized proportional integral (GPI) controllers is presented, and the performance of the control system has been evaluated by means of simulation and experimental results under different conditions, with particular attention to unknown disturbances and dynamic changes. Simulation and experimental results reported were compared and a good agreement was obtained. These findings can be useful for further designs of rehabilitation robots.