A team of scientists from Harvard and Boston universities has developed an exoskeleton that can help people with Parkinson’s disease walk. Experts have already successfully tested the development.
Scientists conducted a study published in the journal Nature Medicine that describes how “soft” robotic exoskeletons can help solve the freezing problem common in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
This symptom causes a person to lose balance when walking, causing them to shorten their steps and then stop completely or fall.
The “soft” exoskeleton, through a system of sensors, adapts to the gait characteristics of a particular person. As soon as the device detects the preconditions for freezing, the actuators are activated and discreetly give the legs a movement impulse.
The researchers worked for six months with a 73-year-old man with Parkinson’s disease who suffered from frostbite more than ten times a day.
“The effect was immediate. Without any special training, the patient could walk without freezing indoors and only occasionally outdoors. He could also walk and talk without freezing, something unusual without the device,” the article said.
The research team will continue working on the exoskeleton and is also willing to grant development licenses to all interested manufacturers of such devices.
Scientists believe that the creation of such technology will help solve the problem of socialization of people suffering from musculoskeletal disorders, and will also significantly improve their quality of life.
Author:
Akhmed Sadulayev
Source: RB
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
