Title has it all.
I’m not sure anyone not in the team for the device can answer this fully.
However, it isn’t an ideal use case. The last I heard about it, it’s controlled by a hand unit. So, despite the “exoskeleton” part being applicable in that case (meaning it would function just fine and do its job), the control would need to be changed to fit the needs of users with poor motor function in the hands. Not that everyone with stoke affect presents exactly the same, but the hands are affected to some degree in everyone I’ve ever seen with it.
Same with things like cerebral palsy, TBI, etc that impact balance and lower limb mobility that tend to also impact fine motor control.
But it should be a matter of just adapting the controls as best as I can tell from available information online.
Again, I have no connection to rewalk, so you gotta take this with a few dozen grains of salt.
Survivor of a TBI checking in.
I thought about this a bit actually in my earlyish recovery, though I never did confirm my thoughts with any doctors who might know more about the mechanics I was interpreting me perceptions of.
In summary, I don’t think it would help (for those with injuries exactly identical to mine*). The problem as I constructed it in my mind, was;
- A problem with my ability to interpret balance from my senses.
- I could still sense all the things I could pre-injury, but the signals would travel down the wires of my body with different kinds of “noise” than my brain had learned to adapt to for the first 20+ years of my life.
- A problem with my ability to control the fine-motor aspects of all my balance-affecting body parts.
- The relative position and momentum of every moving and not-moving part of your body contribute to your overall “state” of balance. Now my control to each part of my body had (similar to the sensing syste’s “wires”) different levels of noise to adapt for than it has taught itself to deal with so far.
I think a system like the Exoskeleton referred to here would probably fix or at least greatly reduce the second problem, but the first problem would require, at the very least, a “processor” that could replace the thing that determines my balance from all my various senses (my brain, at least one part of it).
Check out gozeen.com
My wife recently got one, and had found it liberating. Her condition has caused both balance and stamina issues. We used to bring both a walker and a wheelchair everywhere we went. Her Zeen has made a major improvement in both our lives.
Thanks for the suggestion.I quite like the idea.I still feel that you need to be very careful with it in order not to fall by leaning forward too much (or sideways). The front wheels should extend further ahead of the patient I think.
They demo’ed that it should catch you falling forward, and the seatbelt will hold you. I’m not sure about sideways. Obviously, we haven’t tested either as scenario.
It’s biggest limitations are hills and off-road. It can go any place a normal unpowered wheelchair can go. My wife has used the Zeen on grass… possible but exhausting!
Oof. US$3980. I’m glad it’s working well for you though.
Imagine if public spaces and businesses just had adequate seating at different levels instead. A few cheap barstools (or normal chairs) scattered around would make a world of difference to so many people.
Yes, it’s pricy!! 😖
More seating would absolutely help many. It just depends what challenges life has thrown their way.
