Robotic Brace Aids Stroke Recovery

A novel neurorobotic device senses electrical muscle activity and provides power assistance to facilitate movements and aid the rehabilitation of stroke victims.

The wearable, portable, lightweight robotic brace slides onto the arm. By sensing the patient's electrical muscle activity through electromyography (EMG)--which detects muscle cells' electrical activity on contract--and sending the signals to a motor, it allows stroke patients to control their affected limbs. When used under the supervision of an occupational or physical therapist, the device can be used to help patients progress from basic motor training, such as lifting boxes or reaching for a light switch, to more complex tasks such as carrying a laundry basket or flipping a light switch on and off while holding an object with the unaffected limb.

The robotic therapy device was developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT; Cambridge, USA), and is awaiting approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The device was tested in a pilot clinical study involving six stroke patients at the MIT Clinical Research Center and at the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital (Boston, MA, USA). The study showed that the severely impaired patients' arm function improved 23% on average after using the brace, and the arm muscle tightness typical of stroke victims was significantly reduced. The study appears in the April 2007 issue of the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

"This brace will allow people who have suffered from neurological trauma to rebuild strength, rehabilitate, and gain independence,” said Dr. Woodie Flowers, Ph.D., a professor of mechanical engineering at MIT, who led the original research team that developed the device. "The joint brace is easily controlled by the user and [it] appears to be cost-effective. It could afford self-driven therapy for a large patient population.”

Neurorobotic devices help people exploit their neural plasticity--the increasingly recognized ability of the brain to rewire itself in response to experience and training. Following a stroke, the destruction of brain cells leads to loss of motor function. With painstakingly repetitive exercise therapy, other neurons can take over some of the lost function.


Related Links:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital