A Dutch research team at the
University of Twente has been working on a rehabilitation system for stroke victims for the past decade, and hopes to launch the final build of their product soon. The project is called LOPES (Lower-extremity Powered ExoSkeleton), and work on the concept started in 2001.
Their aim is to create a robotic assistant for recovering stroke victims to begin walking again. Since its inception, LOPES has grown by leaps and bounds, and its technology allows it to support full 3D movement of the subject's legs, whereas other similar devices only allow for linear walking. The system also monitors how the subject's motor function is progressing, making for a more targeted approach to their rehab.
LOPES is currently undergoing a redesign to make it smaller, more compact, and easier to use, before the final product enters production around mid-2012.
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