Researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong have developed an artificial skin that can effectively indicate if damage has occurred, in the same way that our skin bruises naturally. The new skin is made using an ionic hydrogel, and demonstrates changes in electrical signaling when it is deformed. It also produces a purple color […]
Tag: Rehab
Brain Stimulation Lets User Feel Robotic Arm
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have demonstrated that providing direct sensory feedback into the brain dramatically enhanced an impaired patient’s control of a robotic arm. The arm was operated through a brain-computer interface, but the system also included brain implants in an area of the brain responsible for sensory feedback. (Read more...)
Brain-Computer Interface Translates Imagined Writing into Typed Text
Researchers in the BrainGate Collaboration (which includes researchers from Brown University, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, the Providence VA Medical Center, Stanford University, and Case Western Reserve University) have developed a new iteration of their brain-computer interface which allows a spinal injury patient to typ (Read more...)
First Brain-Computer Robotic Stroke Rehab System Authorized by FDA
Neurolutions, a company with offices in Santa Cruz, CA and St. Louis, MO, won FDA de novo authorization to introduce its IpsiHand stroke rehab system in the United States. This is the first approval of a brain-computer interface technology for the rehabilitation of stroke patients, and it promises a faster and more complete recovery of […]
Wireless Sensor Measures Deep Tissue Oxygen Levels
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have developed an ultrasound-powered implantable sensor that can measure oxygen levels in tissues deep within the body and transmit these data to an external device. The technology could be useful in monitoring transplant viability or oxygen exposure in preterm infants. It also has potential to (Read more...)
Tunable Vibrations Could be Key to Reducing Lower Back Pain
Researchers at the Nagoya Institute of Technology in Japan have developed a device that can diagnose and help to correct postural instability leading to back pain. The technique involves using vibration to stimulate sensory receptors that help the brain to perceive the position of the body in space, which is known as proprioception. The approach [& (Read more...)
mRNA Delivery System Protects Neurons After Stroke
Researchers at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University have developed a way to deliver therapeutic mRNA to the brain, in this case to produce brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which can protect neurons from ischemia. The researchers hope that the treatment could help patients who have suffered a stroke to achieve better outcomes by reducing (Read more...)
Ultrasound Technology to Decode Brain Activity for Brain Machine Interfaces
Researchers at Caltech have developed a non-invasive functional ultrasound system that can detect brain activity by listening to tiny changes in blood flow within the brain. The system could provide a viable alternative to invasive electrodes that are implanted into the brain for brain machine interfaces, such as those used in prosthetics. So far, (Read more...)
Silver-Hydrogel Composite for Bioelectronic Applications
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a silver-hydrogel composite that can conduct electricity, which looks promising for use in a variety of bioelectronics applications. These include skin mounted electrodes for neuromuscular stimulation that may be helpful in treating muscular disorders or other motor issues. Soft materials are (Read more...)
Skin-Like Sensor for Fine Control of Prosthetic Arms
Researchers at the City University of Hong Kong have developed a soft sensor for sensitive measurement of shear forces applied to its surface. When attached to robotic grippers, the tactile sensing allows for fine control of grasped objects, enabling the robot to perform impressive feats, such as threading a needle and gripping an egg without [&hel (Read more...)
Electrical Stimulation for Improved Function Post-Spinal Cord Injury: Interview with Dave Marver, CEO, ONWARD
You may have seen an article Medgadget published recently about a minimally invasive neuromodulation technology that has shown significant promise in improving arm and hand function in patients with spinal cord injuries. The technology, called the ARC system, has been developed by ONWARD, a medtech company started by researchers at the Swiss Federa (Read more...)
Electrical Stimulation Helps Regain Hand Function Post Spinal Cord Injury
Researchers at the University of Washington have trialed a minimally invasive electrical stimulation technique that has resulted in remarkable improvements in the hand and arm function of spinal cord injury patients. The approach involves sticking band-aid-like patches onto the back of the neck of patients to deliver electrical pulses, helping to s (Read more...)
Brain-Machine Interface and Exoskeleton Improve Stroke Rehab
Stroke rehabilitation as a field of research holds great promise in improving how patients recover. Unlike other organs, the brain’s neuroplasticity allows it to functionally reshape itself in beneficial ways. But it doesn’t do it on its own, so targeted interventions that require patient participation are key to optimal outcomes. There (Read more...)
Sensor Converts Forearm Signals to Control Prosthetic Hands
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have developed a wearable sensor that can measure electrical signals in the forearm and use AI to correlate them with hand gestures, such as the movements of individual fingers. The team demonstrated that the system can control a robotic prosthetic hand and that it may provide a way […]
Implantable Bladder Wrap for Improved Urinary Control
Researchers at Penn State have developed an implantable device that coils around the bladder to detect when the bladder is full and assist with emptying it by contracting on-demand. The device is intended to treat underactive bladder, a condition in which incomplete bladder emptying leads to irregular and uncomfortable urination. “Researchers (Read more...)
Stretchable Fiber-Optic Sensors for Skin-Like Sensation
Researchers at Cornell University have developed stretchable sensors that can detect sensations such as strain, pressure, and bending, much like human skin. Deformation is measured through changes in optical paths within the flexible fiber optic sensors. By providing a sense of ‘touch’, the sensors could provide additional functionality (Read more...)
SoundWatch Alerts Deaf Users of Nearby Activity
Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a watch that can monitor a user’s environment for important sounds, such as a fire alarm or a microwave beeping, identify the sounds, and then inform the user through a subtle vibration. “This technology provides people with a way to experience sounds that require an action &nda (Read more...)
Flexible Skin Sensor to Help ALS Patients Communicate
Researchers at MIT have developed a wearable sensor that can detect small deformations of the skin, potentially serving as a way to help amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients to communicate through facial movements. The low-cost sensors are much cheaper and may be more effective than current assistive communication technologies for ALS patie (Read more...)
$1 Hearing Aid for Age-Related Hearing Loss
Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed an ultra low-cost hearing aid, for which all the components cost in total less than $1. Designed to be worn by people with age-related hearing loss, the technology provides much of the functionality of conventional hearing aids, but at a tiny fraction of the price. The device may represent […]
Wireless Brain Implant to Give Sight to Blind
Scientists in Australia are gearing up for clinical trials of a brain implant that may restore limited sight in blind people. Developed at Monash University in Melbourne, the Gennaris system involves bypassing the eye completely and targeting the vision center of the brain. A person would wear a pair of glasses outfitted with a camera […]