Adaptive high-level control for robot-assisted rehabilitation: A Discrete Event System approach

Authors

  • Abu Ubaidah Shamsudin Faculty of Electric and Electronic Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM)
  • Shahrul Na'im Sidek Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Kulliyyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia
  • Ahmad Jazlan Haja Mohideen Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Kulliyyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia
  • Mohd Noor Fakhzan Mohd Kazim Faculty of Electrical Engineering Technology, University Malaysia Perlis
  • Mohd Faid Yahya Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka
  • Carl Salaan Center for Mechatronics and Robotics, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22441/sinergi.2025.3.021

Keywords:

Chedoke-McMaster, Discrete Event System Approach, Rehabilitation Robot,

Abstract

This research introduces a two-degree-of-freedom rehabilitation robotic platform to enhance Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) for post-stroke upper limb rehabilitation. Unlike conventional CIMT, that depends on therapist intervention, the proposed system integrates a control framework balancing assistance and autonomy to improve patient engagement and recovery efficiency. The main contribution is a hybrid control architecture combining a low-level impedance controller with a high-level discrete event system (DES) controller. This dual-layer control enables real-time adaptation to a patient’s motor impairment stage, offering dynamic and personalized rehabilitation. The high-level controller, structured around the Chedoke-McMaster Assessment (CMA), facilitates intelligent transitions between rehabilitation states, ensuring robotic assistance matches recovery progress. The design emphasizes simplicity, portability, and user-friendliness, employing a lightweight, cable-driven mechanism that produces smooth and natural movements, closely replicating manual therapy. Experiments with healthy subjects simulating impaired conditions demonstrated the system’s ability to adjust assistance levels and movement velocities according to motor function stages. The results confirm the feasibility of an adaptive, patient-centric control framework that enhances motor engagement and supports progressive rehabilitation. Future work will focus on clinical validation with stroke patients, expanding movement directions, and long-term evaluation of therapeutic outcomes in real-world settings. Overall, this study offers a scalable, data-driven approach bridging robotic automation and therapist-guided rehabilitation, opening new possibilities for improving neuroplasticity and motor recovery after stroke.

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Author Biographies

Shahrul Na'im Sidek, Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Kulliyyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia

 

Ahmad Jazlan Haja Mohideen, Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Kulliyyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia

 

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Published

2025-09-05

How to Cite

[1]
A. U. Shamsudin, S. N. Sidek, A. J. Haja Mohideen, M. N. F. Mohd Kazim, M. F. Yahya, and C. Salaan, “Adaptive high-level control for robot-assisted rehabilitation: A Discrete Event System approach”, Sinergi, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 811–818, Sep. 2025.

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