ReWalk, Harvard to develop new soft exoskeleton
Photo courtesy of ReWalk
A new "soft" exoskeleton will be based on ReWalk's existing technology and expand its applications.
The Marlborough exoskeleton maker ReWalk Robotics, Inc. has partnered with Harvard University's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering to develop a soft suit system to help those with stroke, multiple sclerosis (MS) and other medical issues walk again.
The exclusive licensing agreement with the institute will expand the applications of the company’s technology that to this point has been focused on those with spinal cord injuries. In addition to its technology, ReWalk brings experience with commercialization of wearable technology and will help pave the way for the technology making its way to patients, according to Conor Walsh, who is a core faculty member at the Wyss Institute.
The majority of stroke and MS patients, as well as the elderly, do not require the structural support of rigid exoskeleton systems for individuals with spinal cord injury, according to a release announcing the collaboration. The soft suit prototypes from the Wyss Institute transmit power to key joints of the legs with cable technologies powered with software and mechanics that are similar to the technologies used in the ReWalk system. The cables are connected to fabric-based designs that attach to the legs and foot, thus lending the name soft suit.
Initial pilot studies with stroke patients run at Harvard's Wyss Institute in collaboration with faculty and researchers from Boston University have demonstrated the function of the soft suit exoskeleton technology. ReWalk will work in concert with the Wyss Institute on the continued development of lightweight designs to complete clinical studies, pursue regulatory approvals and commercialize the systems on a global scale. The first commercial application is expected to be stroke, followed by MS and then additional applications, according to ReWalk.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments