Deans' stroke musings: Ekso Bionics Announces a New Generation of Robotic Exoskeleton

Changing stroke rehab and research worldwide now.Time is Brain! trillions and trillions of neurons that DIE each day because there are NO effective hyperacute therapies besides tPA(only 12% effective). I have 523 posts on hyperacute therapy, enough for researchers to spend decades proving them out. These are my personal ideas and blog on stroke rehabilitation and stroke research. Do not attempt any of these without checking with your medical provider. Unless you join me in agitating, when you need these therapies they won't be there.

What this blog is for:

My blog is not to help survivors recover, it is to have the 10 million yearly stroke survivors light fires underneath their doctors, stroke hospitals and stroke researchers to get stroke solved. 100% recovery. The stroke medical world is completely failing at that goal, they don't even have it as a goal. Shortly after getting out of the hospital and getting NO information on the process or protocols of stroke rehabilitation and recovery I started searching on the internet and found that no other survivor received useful information. This is an attempt to cover all stroke rehabilitation information that should be readily available to survivors so they can talk with informed knowledge to their medical staff. It lays out what needs to be done to get stroke survivors closer to 100% recovery. It's quite disgusting that this information is not available from every stroke association and doctors group.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Ekso Bionics Announces a New Generation of Robotic Exoskeleton

I don't know what this looks like. RIC can compare this to the Honda Walking Assist Device which is also being tested there.

http://www.eksobionics.com/pressrelease
Ekso Bionics™ today announced the first delivery of Ekso GT™, a robotic exoskeleton which enables individuals with lower extremity paralysis or weakness to stand and walk. Ekso GT introduces new advancements designed to make it easier for clinicians to provide therapy to a wide variety of patients, as well as provides new opportunities to explore therapeutic interventions, particularly for patients with some preservation of motor ability such as those who have experienced a stroke. The first device was delivered to US News’ #1 ranked hospital in rehabilitation, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC).
Ekso GT is the next generation of Ekso™; a wearable bionic suit which enables individuals with lower extremity paralysis to walk over ground with a fully weight bearing, reciprocal gait. Battery-powered motors drive the legs and replace deficient neuromuscular function to either or both legs. Technological advancements in the newest model of Ekso further optimize the device as a functional-based, rehabilitative tool for hospitals and clinics serving patients with various forms of paralysis due to neurological conditions such as stroke, spinal cord injury or disease, traumatic brain injury and more.
“This is our fourth product in the evolution of Ekso technology in less than two years, demonstrating not only how quickly the technology is advancing, but how rapidly the clinical community is adopting it into their rehab programs,” said Ekso Bionics chief executive officer, Nathan Harding. “We’re witnessing an exciting new approach to neurorehabilitation.”
The first Ekso GT was delivered to RIC and this is their second Ekso. It will be used to study post-stroke gait training and rehabilitation under a National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) funded grant. RIC and Ekso Bionics will collaborate and share data under a newly signed research agreement.
“The results we’ve seen using the previous Ekso among our stroke and spinal cord injured patients have demonstrated we have every reason to embrace and explore this technology further,” said RIC’s vice president, research, W. Zev Rymer, MD, PhD. “ This is an exciting opportunity to be at the forefront of this incredibly innovative technology helping to improve outcomes for our patients.”
Mechanical advancements in Ekso GT include; easier, faster adjustment capability between patients, releasable hip abduction and thigh rotation to provide patients with appropriate strength and motor function more freedom, adjustable foot ankle stiffness and angle enable a more stable gait, and the new composite foot design encourages improved weight shifts. In addition, the Ekso GT’s software hosts several new advancements, such as a feature for turning in place, and the ability to adjust software settings while patients are walking.