Research in Assistive Robotics



Our Ideas
Spinal cord injury is a serious disability, which needs to be treated. Our ideas and designs for creating assistive robotics revolve around the regeneration of the loss of movement in an individual suffering from severe tetraplegia. A robot can be constructed to fit the individual’s legs, and help reconstruct movement with the use of synthetic muscle tissue and other supportive structures.

The robotic legs could be preprogrammed to fit the description of the individual needs and help in the mobility and basic tasks. The robot can also be used to perform simple tasks such as walk out the door or walk up and down stairs.

ONE OPTION WITH ASSISTIVE ROBOTICS
http://www.palo-alto.med.va.gov/programs/SCI/research.htm

Another form of robotics that can help patients with tetraplegia is a robotic device that can send electrical impulses to the spinal cord allowing the brains messages to pass through to the limbs and body parts under the injury. Such robotic device can be portable and attached to the injury; it would simply allow the brains impulses to carry across the axon to the limbs. In order to succeed with this idea, researchers must first develop strategies that would allow the robot to open pathways for the neurotransmitters to pass. One idea would be to let the robot act as a temporary gateway for the signals. However, there is still much to learn about regenerating the operation of a injured spinal cord. Within the future, a horizon of opportunities will be available for robotics to enhance the lives of many tetraplegic patients.

MORE ASSISTIVE ROBOTICS
http://www.palo-alto.med.va.gov/programs/SCI/research.htm

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