Enduro's Secure Ambulation Module From: NASA Tech Briefs - July 2003 - page 18 In the 1980s, James Kerley, a researcher at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, developed cable-compliant mechanisms for use in sounding rocket assemblies and robotics. This technology uses short segments of cable to connect structural elements. But unlike rigid connections, the configuration of the cable segments allows movement in six directions, enabling subtle cushioning and twisting, as well as shock absorption. Kerley later worked with Goddard's Wayne Eklund and Allen Crane to incorporate the mechanisms into a walker that supported the pelvis. Suffering from arthritis himself, Kerley knew that an important part of pain management was alleviating the weight on the legs. The cable-compliant technology allowed the harness to control the pelvis, providing support and stability with compliance that mimicked the movement of the hip joint. Through Goddard's Technology Transfer Program, the late Kerley's invention has been licensed and incorporated into a revolutionary new physical therapy device manufactured by Enduro Medical Technology of East Hartford, CT. S.A.M. Stands Out Enduro's new device is the Secure Ambulation Module (S.A.M.), a rehabilitative device that allows patients with degenerative illness or traumatic injuries to receive physical therapy in a safe, stable standing position. These patients include those living with severe arthritis, multiple sclerosis, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), cerebral palsy, or Parkinson's disease, as well as those recovering from strokes, brain or spinal cord injuries, hip or knee replacement surgeries, cardiac trauma, and anyone who can't sustain an upright position on their own. The S.A.M. walker is expected to revolutionize physical therapy and restorative nursing. Said Kenneth J. Messier, president of Enduro and a licensed nursing home administrator, "In the past, patients needing ambulation therapy had to be lifted to standing by one or more physical therapists, and be able to prop themselves up using their arms." This approach was fraught with the risk of injury for both patients, if they fell, and therapists, who could suffer back injuries while lifting patients. "S.A.M. changes all of that," said Messier, "and provides lots of other benefits." The S.A.M. device, like other walkers, consists of a wheeled apparatus that supports users as they ambulate around a room or down a hallway. S.A.M.'s unique feature is its harness, which supports the patient's body weight and controls their pelvis without impeding movement of their hips. Electronic linear actuators raise and lower the harness, varying the weight that patients place on their legs. An upper-trunk harness can be used to provide additional stability to those patients with severe balance issues. "S.A.M. gives patients the ability to stand and walk in a controlled, fall-free environment without the need for constant attention from a therapist," according to Patrick Summers, who leads engineering, design, and production of S.A.M. at Enduro. Summers also has designed, developed, and introduced more than 15 wheelchair innovations. The key feature of S.A.M. is the NASA cable-compliant technology that allows the harness to control the patient's pelvis. Said co-developer Crane, "The thing that Goddard's technology provides to the walker is the flexibility to allow the person to walk with normal gait, and yet if that person stumbles, the device can right them just as a keel keeps a ship upright in a storm." The harness is dynamically connected to the Goddard-developed cable-compliant wire joints. Enduro perfected the harness and added the linear actuators, finalizing the commercially viable device that provides several benefits: Reduced Patient Injury - The security provided by S.A.M. reduces patient injuries from falls and boosts their confidence during therapy. Earlier Rehabilitation - Since they don't have to prop themselves up with their arms, patients can begin ambulatory rehab earlier. Better Positioning - Freeing the patient‘s arms and the support of the upper-trunk harness allow the upper extremities to be positioned correctly during therapy. Longer and Specialized Sessions - S.A.M. can enable patients to have longer therapy sessions and more specialized treatment. Reduced Therapist Injury - S.A.M. can reduce the back injuries sustained by therapists when bringing a patient to a standing position. Increased Staff Efficiency - One therapist can bring a patient to a standing position and can work with more than one patient at a time. Caption: The Enduro S.A.M. rehabilitation device is demonstrated. Secure Ambulation Module (SAM) is a walker with a harness that supports patients’ body weight, allowing those who cannot stand independently to receive physical therapy in a safe, stable, fall-free environment without constant attention from a therapist. SAM’s key feature is Goddard's cable-compliant joint (CCJ) technology, which allows the harness to control the patient’s pelvis. The CCJ technology, which consists of connected cable segments, provides stability while allowing subtle twisting and cushioning and providing shock absorption and energy damping. Because of the CCJ technology, SAM can provide several important benefits, including reduced injuries for patients and therapists, a faster path to rehabilitation, significant medical benefits, and increased staff efficiency. http://techtransfer.gsfc.nasa.gov/GSFC%20newsletter%20Site/spring_03.htm#spotlightsuccess