But does it work for the 30% of survivors that have spasticity? Without curing spasticity, smooth movement is a bitch.
Harvard Move Lab makes wearable robotic devices for stroke victims
Harvard University's Move Lab has developed a wearable robotic device aimed at helping stroke survivors and people with movement impairments regain mobility.
Dubbed Reachable, this device can provide at-home therapy and enable independence in everyday tasks such as cleaning, while delivering therapeutic benefits.
Design and Functionality
The product is lightweight and can be worn like a harness. It contains a soft under-arm balloon that inflates and deflates, fitted with sensors that track the user's movement.
These sensors understand the user's progress and adapt the level of support accordingly.
Therapeutic Effects
The technology is designed to immediately start exercising muscles to help the brain relearn.
Funding and Development
The Reachable team recently received a three-year, $5 million grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation to expedite the transition of practical research into the marketplace.
The team received Phase 2 funding in 2023, with the Move Lab as a core partner, to continue testing and refining the device, aiming for eventual licensing to a company.
Collaborations and Research
The Move Lab is also funded by the National Institutes of Health to develop a neuroprosthesis for improving mobility for stroke survivors. In a past project, Move Lab researchers developed new technology for measuring sensation and muscle activity.
Reachable's partners include Massachusetts General Hospital, Cecropia Strong, Imago Rehab, Simbex Product Development, and others.
Expert Insights
“After a stroke, the wearable robotic device’s control system that synchronises and initiates all the movements that’s broken – not the muscles,” said Executive Director Paul Sabin in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS).“If we can get this to people before their muscles atrophy or before the disease progresses, then they can focus on trying to recover their control system.”
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