Spinal cord injuries, strokes, and brain injuries impact people across the country each year. Disability impacts both the physical and emotional well-being of millions of individuals across the U.S. In the last year, around 61 million Americans reported living with a disability. Some conditions cause chronic pain and discomfort. Others limit mobility by causing fatigue and decreasing strength and endurance.
With the Ekso suit, it’s possible to regain some of that previous physical freedom. Ekso products are exoskeleton suits that aid the disabled with physical movements. Wearable robots and exoskeletons initially interested military investors but now have an increasing role in civilian life, too. Now, physical therapists use these robotic exoskeletons in their practice working with disabled individuals. Here’s a look at how Ekso Bionics is using exoskeletons to rethink human mobility.
What are exoskeletons?
A bionic exoskeleton, like the ones Ekso produces, is a type of lightweight, wearable robot. It’s not a new technology, either. Industrial exoskeletons help prevent workplace injuries and ease heavy loads. In physical therapy, these bionic suits allow patients to get up earlier in their recovery, work on mobility tasks for longer durations, and help them progress more quickly. In one application, injured veterans who are wheelchair users may re-learn how to assume a standing position. In another, construction workers might use one to move a large object with less strain and risk of injury. While there are numerous use cases, Ekso Bionics focuses on differently-abled individuals. An Ekso product can enhance a user’s mobility and help the wearer feel more empowered.
How do Ekso suits work?
Ekso products have several different applications. From the EksoNR, an exosuit that provides leg support, to the EksoUE, which targets arms and shoulders, these powered exoskeletons can aid various patients. The EksoNR focuses on the lower half of the body and provides both power and support to the legs, particularly in injury or paralysis cases. This helps patients reestablish proper walking patterns and relearn their natural gait. This exosuit challenges the wearer to use the right movement patterns during their recovery period. As the wearer progresses toward unassisted walking, this helps them build strength and confidence while reducing fatigue.
Compared to the EksoNR, the EksoUE serves a different purpose. For individuals who suffer from an upper extremity affliction or a form of paralysis, this Ekso suit helps them recover their previous range of motion. The suit assists the impacted arm with common movements and is a useful tool for regaining the strength and endurance necessary for daily tasks.
What are the features of an Ekso product?
Ekso Bionics is disrupting the wearable robotics industry with our approach to each suit we create. That’s why these exosuits have advanced features that can help individuals with mild and severe mobility problems – across the continuum of care. Exoskeleton software captures applicable data, including steps, movements, and outcome measures that allow for deeper analytics. Physical therapists can use this data to adjust a rehabilitation plan as needed.
There’s also the unique SmartAssist software, which offers an advanced level of customizable motor support. This way, the EksoNR can adjust to different impairment levels for a wide range of affected patients. The physical therapist can toggle between patient-initiated movements and physical therapist-initiated movements that might require full assistance. This provides a tailored rehabilitative experience for each patient and helps them regain their confidence as they safely practice movement. Plus, the clinician controls allow for real-time targeting that creates a feedback-based regimen for the patient. It’s a more intuitive way to approach physical therapy and rehabilitation that takes patient experience into account.
Ekso Bionics is pioneering mobility.
Ekso products remain at the forefront of exoskeleton and wearable robot technology. Ekso technology gives wearers a sense of accomplishment and dignity as they work toward independent movement. Bionic exoskeleton suit markets continue to grow and will be assisting user mobility for the foreseeable future.
Contact Ekso Bionics
Exoskeletons and robots may sound as though they belong in a sci-fi film, but they don’t. Exoskeletons belong right here, among the millions of people experiencing the effects of neurological and physical injuries leading to weakness and paralysis. To learn more about the newest exosuit technology and how they can help your application, reach out to the Ekso Bionics team today.