Grant Promises Next Generation of Robotic Exoskeletons to Improve Mobility
From: Medical Design Technology - 01/08/2016

A joint team from Kessler Foundation and the New Jersey Institute of
Technology (NJIT) is developing new applications for wearable robotic
exoskeleton devices with a $5 million federal grant from the National
Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research.
(NIDILRR #90RE5021-01-00).

Researchers from the two institutions are working together on the next
generation of robotic exoskeletons to improve mobility and to enable safer,
more independent functioning for people with spinal cord injuries (SCI),
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and stroke. The team will also evaluate the
efficacy of existing robots for restoring and expanding mobility to upper and
lower extremities.

The grant, "Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Wearable
Robots," funds five projects - two research projects led by Kessler
Foundation ($2M) and two developmental initiatives and a research study led
by NJIT ($3M). The two institutions will consult on each other's projects,
with NJIT contributing engineering expertise and upper extremity robotic
research to Kessler Foundation and Kessler Foundation providing NJIT with its
deep knowledge of existing commercial devices and experience working with
diverse populations with disabilities.

Richard Foulds, PhD, associate professor of Biomedical Engineering at NJIT
and principal investigator (PI) for the grant. will lead the development of
two new exoskeletons. One of these seeks to enhance real-world,
robot-assisted walking for people with SCI. Key to this work is a new
approach that allows the user to voluntarily control the exoskeleton
movements to yield more natural, intuitive and flexible ambulation by basing
stride - the length and height of steps - on movement intention signaled by
hands and fingers.

Read the entire article at:
http://www.mdtmag.com/news/2016/01/grant-promises-next-generation-robotic-exoskeletons-improve-mobility

Link:
Richard Foulds
http://biomedical.njit.edu/people/foulds.php
http://www.njit.edu/features/faculty/richardfoulds.php