Researchers have introduced the world's first infant
exoskeleton which is designed to help children with spinal muscular atrophy, a
degenerative illness. Weighing 12 kilos, the apparatus is made of aluminium and
titanium, and is designed to help patients walk- in some cases for the first
time.
Furthermore, it will also be used in physiotherapy in
hospitals to prevent the secondary effects associated with the loss of mobility
in this illness. The technology, which has been patented and licensed jointly
by CSIC (the Spanish National Research Council) and its technology-based
business unit, Marsi Bionics, is currently in the preclinical phase.
The brace consists of long support rods, or orthoses, which
are adjusted to fit around the child's legs and torso. In the joints, a series
of motors mimic human muscles and give the child the necessary strength to
stand upright and walk. Finally, a series of sensors, a movement controller,
and a battery with 5 hours of life complete the system.
"The number one drawback in developing this type of
paediatric exoskeleton is that the symptoms of neuromuscular illnesses- such as
spinal muscular atrophy- change over time, as much in the articulations as in
the body.That's why it's fundamental to have an exoskeleton capable of
independently adapting to these changes. Our model includes intelligent joints
which alter the brace's rigidity automatically and adapt to the symptoms of
each individual child at whenever required," explains Elena Garcia, from
the Automatics and Robotics Centre, a CSIC/Politechnic Univerity of Madrid.
The exoskeleton is aimed at children between the ages of 3
and 14. With five motors in each leg (each requiring its own space to
function), the minimum possible length of each leg is restricted. Furthermore,
the unpredictability of the involuntary body movements of under-3s have forced
researchers to set a lower age limit for the device. In other pathologies,
which don't restrict any joint movement and so require fewer motors, it would
be possible to build a smaller frame," adds García…
By using the device, Elena García and her team hope to help
patients walk and in so doing prevent the setting in of scoliosis, as well as
the chain of resulting conditions caused by the inability to stand upright and
walk.
With finance coming from the Spanish Ministry of the Economy
and Competition, and through the EU's Echord ++ programme, the project is being
carried out with the help of medical specialists at the Sant Joan de Déu
Children's Hospital in Barcelona and the Ramón & Cajal University Hospital
in Madrid.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160608104000.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLKfWL8IXgKBte4TfD53pLaHONfSYCX0RH&v=cXx8MeGnK7Q
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