MIT researchers, lead by Hermano Igo Krebs, have developed a new
robotic technology to help children with cerebral palsy. The
robotic devices have been in use for several years to assist
patients that have suffered a stroke, however, it was not until
recently that this new technology was utilized to benefit
children with cerebral palsy. The new robotic therapy is based
on the principal that a patient’s brain can establish new
connections when the robotic device guides the patient’s body in
the proper direction. The pilot studies show that children with
cerebral palsy benefit from the robotic therapy more than adults
with the same condition because they are better able to
establish new connections. This looks like a very promising
development and a new project is underway to develop an ankle
device, as to date, most devices focus on the upper body. Here
is a link to MIT’s website and the full article.