spinal

Columbia develops ‘robotic trunk support assists’ for people with spinal cord injuries

January 7, 2020 by David Edwards Leave a Comment

Engineers at Columbia university have invented a robotic trunk-support-trainer to retrain patients with spinal cord injury to sit more stably and gain an expanded active sitting workspace. (See video below.)

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) can cause devastating damage, including loss of mobility and sensation. Every year, there are an estimated 17,000 new SCIs in the US alone, a rate higher than in most regions of the world.

In addition, the rate of SCIs in people 65 years or older is expected to rise in the US, from 13 percent in 2010 to 16.1 percent by 2020. [Read more…] about Columbia develops ‘robotic trunk support assists’ for people with spinal cord injuries

Robotics in Spinal Surgery

October 17, 2019 by David Edwards

Robotics is an emerging technological field that has seen significant advancements over a short period.

Fortune magazine mentions that the global robotics market is expected to cross $135 billion in 2019.

Robotics doesn’t only refer to the massive industrial beasts that dominate manufacturing and commercial production plants. [Read more…] about Robotics in Spinal Surgery

Ekso Bionics in $100 million joint venture to develop the exoskeleton market in Asia

May 7, 2019 by Anna

Ekso Bionics, Inc. is to establish a joint venture to develop and serve the exoskeleton market in China and other Asian markets and to create a global exoskeleton manufacturing centre.

It will partner with Zhejiang Youchuang Venture Capital Investment Co., Ltd (ZYVC) and Zhejiang Silicon Paradise Asset Management Group.

The joint venture will develop, sell and support exoskeleton products into China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia, and will be capitalized at greater than $100 million over its term.

[Read more…]

Prosthetic arm technology that detects spinal nerve signals developed by scientists

February 24, 2017 by Sophiya

Scientists have developed sensor technology for a robotic prosthetic arm that detects signals from nerves in the spinal cord.

To control the prosthetic, the patient has to think like they are controlling a phantom arm and imagine some simple manoeuvres, such as pinching two fingers together.

The sensor technology interprets the electrical signals sent from spinal motor neurons and uses them as commands.

A motor neuron is a nerve cell that is located in the spinal cord. Its fibres, called axons, project outside the spinal cord to directly control muscles in the body. [Read more…] about Prosthetic arm technology that detects spinal nerve signals developed by scientists