January 1, 2003 |
The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago has introduced a new technology, known as Lokomat, that may help people with spinal cord injury regain lower limb locomotion. The device consists of a powered exoskeleton robot that delivers power to the hip and knee joints while the user’s upper-body weight is supported over a treadmill. Dr. David Chen, medical director of the Institute’s Spinal Cord Injury Program, hopes the device will be useful for people with partial spinal cord injuries to redevelop and regain functional walking patterns. He tested the device with Dr. Suzy Kim, a paraplegic.
Chen believes the robotic system improves upon “passive walking” approaches in use elsewhere, in which a pair of physical therapists move the patient’s legs. He says the weight-bearing exercise helps paraplegics combat muscle atrophy and the threat of osteoporosis. Pending FDA approval, the Institute hopes to begin a clinical training program within the next two years.
