Restoring Movement in the Physically Disabled

The aim of this book is to explore parallels in sensorimotor integration of rehabilitation devices and human extremities, addressing the basic question on how the next generation of rehabilitation devices should evolve. By bringing together experimental physiology, kinesiology, rehabilitation therapy, computer and electrical engineering, this book discusses a range of issues starting from natural and ending with artificial control. While the ultimate goal of capturing able-bodied versatility remains elusive, this book makes an important contribution to a better understa nding and design of future rehabilitation methods and devices via a simple underlying message: a topic as complex as restoration of human movements would be best addressed by collaborative, interdisciplinary research, combining high level and low level views, drawing parallels between human studies, analytic and non-analytic approaches, and integrating sensory data with motor commands.