Fizzy: The underactuated robotic ball for interactive and engaging rehabilitation

RWTH Publications (RWTH Aachen)

Abstract

Maintaining long-term engagement in physical therapy for pediatric and elderly people remains a clinical challenge. This work formally introduces Fizzy, a novel, low-cost, active, spherical robotic platform designed for rehabilitation and preventive healthcare in indoor unsupervised environments, integrating play with targeted exercise. Fizzy utilizes a single-motor, underactuated mechanism, to provide a simpler and more durable alternative to complex multi-actuator robotic ball designs. While this approach maximizes safety and accessibility, it introduces engineering challenges. This work shows the mechanical architecture and outlines the key technical foundations required for therapeutic integration.

Authors 8

1. Nada Ali Ahmed Aachen Institute of Automatic Control (IRT)

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Automatic Control, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

2. Bart Horstman

   Erasmus MC · Delft University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   1) Cognitive Robotics Department, Human-Robot Interaction Group, Motor Learning and Neurorehabilitation Lab, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands; 2) Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

3. Eda Karaosmanoglu

   Delft University of Technology · Erasmus University Rotterdam

   Affiliation as printed

   1) Erasmus School of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; 2) Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands

4. Marco C. Rozendaal

   Delft University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands

5. Robin Taborsky Aachen Institute of Automatic Control (IRT)

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Automatic Control, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

6. Maike Stemmler Aachen Institute of Automatic Control (IRT)

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Automatic Control, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

7. Manon Kok

   Delft University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Delft Center for Systems and Control, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands

8. Heike Vallery Aachen 1) Institute of Automatic Control

   RWTH Aachen University · Erasmus MC · Delft University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   1) Institute of Automatic Control, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany; 2) Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; 3) Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands