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antiquity
01-07-2003, 12:13 PM
Reported January 7, 2003

Restoring Movement to Muscles

Jan. 7, 2003 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Researchers from the Neurobiotics Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University say they hope to one day enhance movement for people who have lost their muscle or limb control.

The research, led by Yoky Matsuoka, Ph.D., is currently centered on a wearable human-robot controller. The idea behind the control is to help people who have lost their ability to control movements because of injury or disease as well as provide an individualized form of therapy and create a prosthetic with dexterity similar to that of the lost limb. One device under development transfers sensory input to an impaired hand to assist people with poor grasping dexterity.

Matsuoka and colleagues are also constructing an anatomically correct robot hand that functions like a human hand. Their research aims to build robots as a way to understand more about how the brain controls the body.

SOURCE: Ivanhoe Health Correspondent Liz Rosenblum's Interview with Yoky Matsuoka, Ph.D.

http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=5162

Chris Chappell
01-08-2003, 10:40 AM
This is too long in coming to fruition. It's good to hear that scientists are working on it.

Fortitudine Vincimus
(Through endurance we conquer)

mk99
01-08-2003, 05:03 PM
I think we probably could create a really fancy & functional way of motorized orthesis to get people out of their wheelchairs today. Blending the technology of Lokomat and Osimo (Honda's Robot), I would gladly slip on some long leg braces in the morning and be able to "walk" aftificially all day long.

Next best thing to a cure in my opinion.