Engineers at the University of British Columbia have collaborated with the Japanese automotive company Honda to develop an e-skin for robotic prostheses that allows such devices to sense their environment in significant detail. The soft skin is highly sensitive, letting robotic hands to perform tasks that require a significant degree of dexterity a (Read more...)
Tag: Rehab
Glasses Provide Audible Prompts for Blind Wearers
A team at the University of Technology Sydney has developed an assistive technology for blind people and those with low vision. The system consists of glasses that can view their surroundings through an on-board camera, appraise the objects nearby using computer vision technology, and then play a sound that provides a cue for the wearer […]
A Wearable to Manage Parkinson’s Motor Symptoms: Interview with Lucy Jung, CEO at Charco Neurotech
Charco Neurotech, a medtech company based in the United Kingdom, has developed CUE1, a non-invasive wearable that is intended to assist those with Parkinson’s disease to manage their motor symptoms. The device is typically affixed to the sternum, and provides vibratory action in a focused region of the body. The technology is based on the […]
Robotic Ankle Helps with Postural Control in Amputees
Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a robotic prosthetic ankle that can provide stability for lower limb amputees. The ankle uses electromyographic sensors placed on the sites of muscles in the residual limb that then convey the intentions of the wearer with regard to movement. So far, the system has been shown to […]
Optical Strain Sensors for Rehab
Researchers at Pohang University of Science & Technology in South Korea have developed a durable strain sensor that can detect complex body movements. The technology will be useful for patients undergoing physical rehabilitation, allowing physical therapists to assess their movements in significant detail and measure progress. Conventional stra (Read more...)
Growth Factor-Loaded Microparticles Enhance 3D Bioprinted Muscle
Researchers at the Terasaki Institute in Los Angeles have developed a new method to create 3D printed muscle constructs with enhanced muscle cell alignment and maturation. The technique involves creating microparticles loaded with insulin-like growth factor (IGF) using a microfluidic platform. Then, these particles are included in a bioink that als (Read more...)
Brain Computer Interface Decodes Speech and Facial Expressions
Researchers at the University of California San Francisco have developed a brain computer interface that can lets someone with severe paralysis communicate with both speech and facial expressions, in the form of a digital avatar. The breakthrough advances what has been possible, with previous brain computer interface systems providing speech only, (Read more...)
Semi-Automated Manufacture of E-Skin Sensors
Engineers at the Technical University of Munich in Germany have developed a system that allows them to semi automate the production of tactile sensors. Such sensors can provide robotic systems, such as robotic prostheses, with a sense of compression and tension with regard to the objects and surfaces they come in contact with. Most robotic […]
Above Elbow Amputee Controls Individual Bionic Fingers
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have developed a new technique that could allow above-elbow amputees to better use robotic prostheses, including making individual finger movements. Unlike below-elbow amputees, these patients have a more limited number of remnant muscles with which to produce fine control of multiple bioni (Read more...)
Artificial Muscle Changes Stiffness with Voltage
Scientists at Queen Mary University of London have developed an artificial muscle that can change from soft to hard in response to a voltage change. The technology aims to mimic human muscles in both its movements and in its ability to sense forces and deformation. The muscle is made using carbon nanotubes that have been […]
Smart Pants Track Physical Activity
Engineers at the Federal University of Espirito Santo in Brazil have developed smart pants that can non-intrusively track physical movements and provide updates to caregivers if the people they’re taking care of are showing signs of distress. This application could be very useful for people who are monitoring elderly patients in healthcare faciliti (Read more...)
AI-Powered Pain Relief: Interview with Claire Smith, VP at Nevro
Nevro, a medtech company based in California, has developed the HFX iQ spinal cord stimulation system, which is intended to treat chronic pain. While spinal cord stimulators can be very useful in controlling certain types of chronic pain, at present, patients must attend with their clinician to obtain adjustments to their stimulator. This is inconv (Read more...)
Robotic Glove Helps Stroke Patients Relearn Dexterity
Researchers at Florida Atlantic University have developed a soft robotic glove that can assist stroke patients to relearn how to perform dexterous tasks with their hands. The glove contains soft actuators that helps patients to move their fingers as they perform tasks, and sensors that help to create tactile sensations. So far, the researchers have (Read more...)
Nanomagnet Patch Measures Muscle Movements
Researchers at UCLA have developed a wearable patch that can measure muscle movements in underlying tissues. The patch contains nanomagnets, and movements in underlying muscles can deform the resulting magnetic fields, creating an electric current. This both provides a readable signal for the system, and also means that the system is self-powered a (Read more...)
Flexible Knee Wearable Tracks Motion
Researchers at the Singapore University of Technology and Design have created a flexible knee wearable that contains integrated circuitry within its knitted structure. The wearable can track joint movement in real time, assisting clinicians in spotting the early signs of movement disorders or allowing them to track the progress of patients undergoi (Read more...)
Empowering Stroke Survivors: Interview with Kirsten Carroll, General Manager at Kandu Health
Kandu Health, a digital health company based in California, has developed a platform to assist stroke survivors with aftercare. Healthcare for stroke patients is primarily focused on acute care to limit the damage caused by the stroke. However, the company has identified that stroke survivors are frequently underserved after hospital discharge, and (Read more...)
Smart Walking Stick for Visually Impaired People
Researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder have developed a smart walking stick that can assist blind or visually impaired people to navigate their environment, from grocery shopping to finding a seat in a busy café. The system employs cameras to visualize the environment and items within it, such as products in a supermarket, [&he (Read more...)
Implantable Device Adheres to Muscle, Treats Atrophy
Scientists at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard have developed a mechanically active gel-elastomer-nitinol tissue adhesive, otherwise known as MAGENTA. The implantable device functions as a soft robot, and it can be adhered to the outside of a muscle. When an electrical charge is applied to the device, a spring ins (Read more...)
Non-Invasive Spinal Modulation for Cerebral Palsy
SpineX, a medtech company based in California, has developed the Spinal Cord Innovation in Pediatrics (SCiP) device, a non-invasive spinal cord neuromodulation technology that is intended to treat children with cerebral palsy. The technology is designed to be used in conjunction with activity-based neurorehabilitation therapy with the goal of impro (Read more...)
Implanted Magnets for Prosthetic Control
Engineers at MIT have developed a system that could let users of robotic prostheses to more sensitively control their bionic limbs. The technology involves implanting pairs of small magnetic beads into muscles. When the muscles contract, the beads move closer together, allowing prosthetic devices to more precisely calculate a user’s intention (Read more...)