Arm brace helping stroke survivors regain mobility
Medical researchers in the US have invented a robotic arm to improve the mobility of stroke survivors.
The Massachusetts of Institute of Technology researchers say thousands of stroke survivors could one day use the device, first in rehab centres and eventually in homes.
It is awaiting approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, which they expect this year.
“This is the first of its kind that you wear, and then the ultimate goal is that you relearn how you use that limb,” said John McBean, an MIT graduate who helped create the brace.
The lightweight brace slides onto an arm. Sensors placed on the front and back parts of the upper arm detect slight muscle contractions. That triggers a motor - contained in a backpack that the user also wears – that allows the user to control the arm’s movement.
The destruction of brain cells from a stroke causes loss of function. The researchers say with repetitive therapy, other neurons can take over some of the lost function.
In the study, stroke victim Bill Dressel and the others were put through hour-long sessions wearing the device in which they were tasked with moving blocks or turning on and off light switches.
“The goal here is to rehabilitate that limb, not to become dependent on the device,” McBean said.
Dressel’s stroke in June 2005 reduced mobility on his right side, and slowed his ability to speak. He was among the six subjects who underwent three hours training per week over a six-week period at MIT’s Clinical Research Centre and at Spauding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston.
Before the trial, Dressel’s right arm was essentially locked at a 90-degree angle. He did every task exclusively with his left arm and left hand. Now, after having therapy with the arm brace, he can straighten his right arm without the device to turn on and off light switches and to help himself get dressed.
Dressel said it was “quite a thrill” to see his right arm respond for the first time after his stroke. He watches with pride and envy as his wife, Joyce, picks up and plays with their eight-month-old granddaughter, Amy.
