Australia's first robotic rehabilitation clinic opens in Melbourne

A new "robotic" rehabilitation clinic has opened in Melbourne giving patients in physical and neurological therapy new hope in their recovery.

The machines use artificial intelligence and machine learning to create interactive games for people with conditions such as stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis and long COVID.

The robots gently move the patients' fingers, hands and arms when they are unable to do so themselves, helping to re-train the brain and slowly regain their own, independent motion.

READ MORE: Woman dies shortly after police pursuit in Melbourne

The machines, imported from European company TyroMotion, not only stimulate movement but track every tiny improvement digitally.

The rehab clinic is the brainchild of Vicki Abraham, a leading Melbourne occupational therapist.

"The robot does the movement until they can't until they can. And these devices pick up the smallest, smallest movement," Abraham said.

"We are more focused on gamification and getting people engaged in what they're doing."

READ MORE: Husky pulled from collapsed building three weeks after Turkey earthquake

Michael Young has been using the machines after he suffered a stroke in 2017, which left him with limited movement on his left side.

He has been making small but significant gains in his hand function after using the machine.

"Those fingers wouldn't move at all. And they've all got a little bit of movement now," he said.

"My aim is to be able to hold and knife and fork and eat my own food without having somebody to cut it and eat a steak."

There are at least 100 patients currently using the robotic rehab facility, with capacity for that number to increase.

Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.