Officers and Soldiers' Rehabilitation Now Has an "AI Coach," Helping Injured Personnel "Recover Faster" and "Recover Better"
Officers and Soldiers' Rehabilitation Now Has an "AI Coach"
■ Chen Xiaowei, PLA Daily Reporter Sun Xingwei
In early summer, sunlight falls across the corridor of the Second Rehabilitation Section of the Joint Logistic Support Force Dalian Rehabilitation and Recuperation Center. Amid the interplay of light and shadow, a figure catches the reporter's eye — Soldier Xiao Liu of a certain unit, about to complete his rehabilitation and return to his unit, walking toward us with a strong, steady stride. Just one month ago, he was still on crutches due to a left knee meniscus injury.
"Being able to recover this quickly is all thanks to the tireless 'AI coach,'" Xiao Liu said with a smile, pointing to a large screen beside him. On the screen, a virtual human figure was simultaneously simulating his movements, with strings of data and scores updating in real time. This is the center's innovative practice of deeply embedding artificial intelligence technology into the rehabilitation of training-related injuries.
"A one-size-fits-all rehabilitation plan is like expecting a single medicine to cure every illness," said Tang Di, director of the Second Rehabilitation Section, by way of analogy. In traditional rehabilitation treatment, officers and soldiers — despite differing in age, injury type, and recovery progress — often had to follow a nearly uniform training plan, with uneven results; some even saw their confidence in recovery undermined by slow progress. Today, this AI-based assessment and training system has changed that situation.
At the scene, the reporter observed that as an officer and soldier undergoing lower-limb rehabilitation performed movements, cameras on the ceiling precisely captured the changing angles of his joints, the sequencing of force application, the stability of his center of gravity, and other movement trajectories. The system rapidly generated a quantified report containing various indicators and, on that basis, prescribed a personalized "exercise prescription."
"It can see at a glance which muscle of mine is slacking off and whether my force-application sequencing is correct," said Soldier Xiao Zhang of a certain unit, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation training and feels this deeply. He had long suffered from chronic ankle instability and the recurring problem of "habitual ankle sprains." "The AI system precisely captures my ankle flexion and extension, rotation angles, and gait, and has tailored for me a progressive plan covering speed and agility, plyometrics (快速伸缩复合), lower-limb strength, and balance and stability." As Xiao Zhang spoke, he completed another set of training exercises, his movements precise and fluid. After systematic training, the pain in his ankle joint has noticeably diminished, and he is now able to successfully complete running and jumping movements.
"Attention! Do not let your knees cave inward when squatting!" In the training room, the system issued a real-time voice prompt. A soldier performing a squat immediately adjusted his posture, and the error-posture alert on the screen disappeared accordingly. "Many injuries are accumulated or aggravated through unconsciously incorrect movements," Tang Di explained. Another major advantage of the AI system is real-time error correction. It acts like a "dedicated coach" who maintains constant focus and patience, closely observing the movements of officers and soldiers through cameras and sensors. The moment it detects a postural deviation, insufficient angle, or compensatory force application, the system immediately issues visual and voice prompts to make corrections, minimizing the risk of secondary injury. "Before, when doing rehabilitation on my own, I had no confidence about whether my movements were correct. Now with the 'AI coach' watching, I train with peace of mind and dare to push harder," a soldier undergoing training told the reporter.
"We hope that through AI technology, injured officers and soldiers can 'recover faster' and, more importantly, 'recover better,' building a health line of defense (健康防线) for combat readiness." When speaking with the reporter, the center's leadership stated that introducing AI technology for the prevention and treatment of training-related injuries is only an initial exploration. In the next phase, on the premise of solidly securing data security barriers, they will advance the deep integration of AI technology with rehabilitation medicine, open up the full-process data chain from injury assessment and rehabilitation training through to return to duty, and make rehabilitation plans more precise, training feedback more timely, and return-to-duty assessments more scientific.
From the steady stride of Xiao Liu in the corridor to the sight of more and more officers and soldiers returning to their posts on the training ground, the reporter senses that this new AI-enabled model is paving a "fast lane" for the generation of combat effectiveness (战斗力生成).