Design and evaluation of a home based upper limb rehabilitation training device for stroke patients

Stroke has become one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability worldwide. Effective rehabilitation training is crucial for alleviating post-stroke sequelae and promoting functional recovery. However, traditional rehabilitation equipment is primarily designed for hospitals and rehabilitation centers, requiring patients to rely on medical staff for assistance and guidance, which results in high costs and prolonged treatment durations. Consequently, many already disadvantaged patients, due to mobility limitations or inadequate medical resources, miss the optimal rehabilitation period, potentially leading to permanent functional impairment. This study aims to design a home-based rehabilitation device that enables stroke patients to perform efficient and continuous upper limb rehabilitation training at home. First, the study employs the Kawakita Jiro Method (KJ) to identify user needs and utilizes the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to quantify the weight of key design factors. Next, the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method is applied to translate user needs into specific design features. Finally, the feasibility of the design is evaluated using Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (FCE). The results indicate that, compared to traditional devices, the proposed product supports remote monitoring and guidance from medical professionals while dynamically adjusting training programs based on patient needs, thereby enhancing rehabilitation effectiveness and providing new insights for optimizing home-based rehabilitation equipment.