AUSTIN (KXAN) — Millions of Americans have trouble doing daily activities after suffering a stroke. It can leave a person with severe disabilities and a long road to recovery.
Researchers in the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin are using robotic technology to make that journey a little easier. Named HARMONY, researchers have designed a robotic exoskeleton, and it could revolutionize the field of rehabilitative robotics. With repeated motions, HARMONY helps patients regain strength and coordinate muscles.
“Our goal is to deliver more therapy, and possibly better therapy, than they’re getting now,” said Ashish Deshpande, assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering. “It attaches around a person’s body and is designed so it fits comfortably around the body and moves the body safely.”
It has taken four years for the design to become reality. And because HARMONY accommodates the upper body, it is the first of its kind. The robot is equipped with a suite of sensors that collect data at 2,000 times per second. The data is then fed back into the robot’s program for an instantly personalized robotic interaction.
Down the line, HARMONY could be critical in helping stroke patients like Joel Borden. His entire left side was affected after he suffered one several months ago.
