Robot Millionaire Takes a Shot at Fixing Severed Spinal Cords

[mamadavid]

Neurologic-Controlled Exoskeletal Neuro-Rehibilitation was presented by Thomas Schildhauer, MD at the Seattle Science Foundation and Swedish Neuroscience Institute Grand Rounds. Dr. Schildhauer discusses the exciting developments in the use of the Cyberdyne robotic exoskeleton, HAL, in treatment of acute and chronic spinal cord injury.

LINK

This looks like it could help a lot of incompletes achieve some degree of mobility. From what I understand from the presentation of the HAL therapy, all of the eight chronic incomplete subjects in the pilot study and 35 out of 50 chronic patients who were treated later -- all of whom had already been through quite extensive conventional rehab -- achieved significant functional improvement with the HAL therapy, so that after a period of training with the HAL robot they were able to do some level of functional walking, with or without assistive devices, WITHOUT the robot. Question for those of you who know more about neuroplasticity than I do: Do I understand correctly that the people who regained function thanks to the HAL therapy did so because the robot enabled them to repeatedly perform actions that they had been unable to perform before, but that became possible with the robot, leading to increase in muscle size and strength (because they were finally exercising previously unexercised muscles), peripheral neuron sprouting and the creation of a feedback loop? Does training with the HAL give better results because this feedback loop includes actions that the person was not able to perform naturally but that he now has the chance to practise and reinforce? Is this the big difference that HAL therapy is able to offer compared to "conventional" intensive rehab therapy, where the person is generally only able to reinforce what he can already do? Thanks for your replies.

[GRAMMY]

This looks like it could help a lot of incompletes achieve some degree of mobility. From what I understand from the presentation of the HAL therapy, all of the eight chronic incomplete subjects in the pilot study and 35 out of 50 chronic patients who were treated later -- all of whom had already been through quite extensive conventional rehab -- achieved significant functional improvement with the HAL therapy, so that after a period of training with the HAL robot they were able to do some level of functional walking, with or without assistive devices, WITHOUT the robot. Question for those of you who know more about neuroplasticity than I do: Do I understand correctly that the people who regained function thanks to the HAL therapy did so because the robot enabled them to repeatedly perform actions that they had been unable to perform before, but that became possible with the robot, leading to increase in muscle size and strength (because they were finally exercising previously unexercised muscles), peripheral neuron sprouting and the creation of a feedback loop? Does training with the HAL give better results because this feedback loop includes actions that the person was not able to perform naturally but that he now has the chance to practise and reinforce? Is this the big difference that HAL therapy is able to offer compared to "conventional" intensive rehab therapy, where the person is generally only able to reinforce what he can already do? Thanks for your replies.

Yes, mamadavid, I think you have the presentation interpreted pretty darn close. The closed loop system appears to have great potential to assist an incomplete injury. A colleague did check with the company very recent and they do hope to break into the US market as soon as they can. (Currently, they're in Japan and Germany). This will be quite a unique system as compared to the others so it's worth watching their progress in marketing it.

[GRAMMY]

The Japanese "HAL" robot by Cyberdyne will probably be combined with an IPS cell therapy in the future for SCI rehabilitation.

LINK

[Domosoyo]

The Japanese "HAL" robot by Cyberdyne will probably be combined with an IPS cell therapy in the future for SCI rehabilitation.

LINK

Interesting. BTW, am I the only one that reads "Cyberdyne" and only thinks of The Terminator?!

[GRAMMY]

Yes, it is the first one fusing machine with man via brain signals. As you click down through the numbers HERE you can see how it works.

[GRAMMY]

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/vo...talk/20161017/

Here's a video link posted above of the CEO made available yesterday. It will only be online until October 31, 2016

Yoshiyuki Sankai is the CEO of Cyberdyne, a firm that is developing robotics for use in the field of medicine. One of its inventions is HAL, a wearable robot for people with disabilities.

Direct Talk

Medical Robotics for the World
Yoshiyuki Sankai

Japan moves toward rapid commercialization: Regenerative Medicine Foundation

http://regmedfoundation.org/2016/09/...ercialization/

[GRAMMY]

The Cyberdyne (HAL) is now at Brooks Rehabilitation in the USA. LINK

[Allan1]

i have tried the rewalk, and i am now applying so i can get it and use it at home. its great.

[GRAMMY]

i have tried the rewalk, and i am now applying so i can get it and use it at home. its great.

HAL is a "closed loop system" as opposed to any other skeletons including the ReWalk. It's nice that you can apply to get a ReWalk.

The Hybrid Assistive Limb or HAL is the first ever cyborg-type robot tha thas been invented to support human body. HAL is an assistive gadget that can mimic motor organs and contribute in helping and improving human movement. It is designed specifically for administrator's lower appendage during its early invention and has eventually been into a wider scope. Each version of the HAL comes with improved features facilitating better assistance.HAL is designed to pick up cerebral nerve signals and send it out to the muscle to construct a new loop of network. This robot can regenerate the nervous and musculoskeletal of paraplegia to move their leg again. HAL is mainly used in rehabilitation focusing on disable and elderly people. However, the invention can also be used for lifting heavy loads, entertainment and to support workers involved in demanding jobs such as rescuing people,and in construction field.HAL-1, using DC engines and ball screws, was produced as the main model of HAL and it upgraded the wearer's strolling capacity by intensifying the wearer's own joint torque. Subsequent to building up a few models, HAL-3 was created towards more appropriate framework to be utilized as a part of genuine everyday life. These robot suits have a force unit on every hip and knee joint, and they bolster utilitarian movements of the lower appendages with various joints at the same time. After that, HAL-5, was produced for entire body support. It helps human movements including the wearer's abdominal area exercises, for example,conveying substantial burdens [22]

HAL is intended for individuals with a spinal cord injury at levels C4 to L5 (ASIA C, ASIA D) and T11 to L5 (ASIA A with Zones of Partial Preservation, ASIA B), who have some motor function of the hip and knee.

[Wills77]

I wonder if it can sense the difference between what movement you are trying to do and a spasm.