A new wearable device pioneered in America could prevent Parkinson’s patients from freezing mid-stride and falling over. The ‘robotic garment’ works by nudging the hips of sufferers when their legs swing to create a longer stride.
Speaking about the breakthrough technology, Conor Walsh, Professor of Engineering at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), said: “We found that just a small amount of mechanical assistance from our soft robotic apparel delivered instantaneous effects and consistently improved walking across a range of conditions for the individual in our study.”
Researchers from SEAS, the Center for Neurorehabilitation at Boston University. and the Boston University Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences have been working with a 73-year-old man with Parkinson’s disease who was having more than 10 incidents of freezing a day and the results from using the wearable were ‘instantaneous’.
The participant told researchers: “The suit helps me take longer steps and when it is not active, I notice I drag my feet much more. It has really helped me, and I feel it is a positive step forward. It could help me to walk longer and maintain the quality of my life.”
The innovation is good news for the more than 9 million Parkinson’s patients worldwide.
