Robot Physical Therapist Helps People Walk Again after a Stroke
From: New Scientist - 07/19/2017
By: Nicole Kobie

Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)
and Lausanne University Hospital in Switzerland have developed a smart
harness that uses artificial intelligence to help people regain their
mobility following certain neurological injuries. The smart harness collects
information on leg movement, stride, and muscle activity from body sensors,
and then uses that information to provide support specifically designed for
the way the patient walks, determining how much force to apply to produce a
natural gait. Following a single, one-hour training session with the smart
harness, patients with spinal cord injuries showed immediate improvement in
their gait out of the harness compared to those who did not use the harness,
according to the researchers. The system helps patients rebuild lost muscle
mass and relearn posture and movement, while also retraining the brain to
handle the balance between gravity and forward motion that walking requires.

Read the entire article at:
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2141286-robot-physical-therapist-helps-people-walk-again-after-a-stroke

Links:
NCCR Robotics
https://www.nccr-robotics.ch

Gravity Assisted Walking (video 1:49)
https://youtu.be/7K1W0JQUm7k

Multi-directional gravity assist helps rehabilitation training
https://www.nccr-robotics.ch/2017/07/19/multi-directional-gravity-assist

Related:
Robots for stroke rehabilitation
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150304075206.htm

Intelligent, affordable rehab robot to help stroke patients
http://www.ibbme.utoronto.ca/community/innovators/intelligent-affordable-rehab-robot-to-help-stroke-patients