In an article published in the Journal of NeuroEngineering and
Rehabilitation, scientists described a robotic wheelchair called ROLY,
which will hopefully increase access to and also make wheelchair-use
training more affordable for children with cerebral palsy and other
disabilities.

ROLY, which stands for Robot assisted Learning for Young drivers, was
tested on a group of children without disabilities and one child with
cerebral palsy.

Laura Marchal-Crespo worked together with the team of scientists and
researchers at the University of California at Irvine. “The
conventional approach for powered wheelchair driver’s training is
expensive and labor-intense, typically requiring the hand-over-hand
assistance of a skilled therapist. To lower the cost and improve
accessibility to training, we have developed a robotic powered
wheelchair system on which young children with a disability can safely
develop driving skills at their own pace with minimum assistance,”
explained Marchal-Crespo.

The investigation was conducted by using a small robot which follows a
route painted on the floor, which the child with cerebral palsy or
other disability must chase while confined to the wheelchair. The
joystick which steers the wheelchair is equipped with ‘forced
feedback’ and can also give physical assistance to the driver of the
wheelchair, which, due to the feedback, will be applied at a level
appropriate to how well the driver is succeeding in his/her task of
chasing the little robot along its route.

When the robot is finally caught, it proceeds to dance for the child
and play a song. The haptic (touch) assistance of the joystick was
found to improve the learning curve in both groups, those without
disabilities and in the child with cerebral palsy.

Commenting on the study’s findings Marchal-Crespo said, “Ultimately,
we envision creating a training experience that compares favorably
with the fun children experience with the best amusement park rides,
but that facilitates the development of driving skill.”

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A procedure which could help physicians to diagnosis cerebral palsy in
early infancy has been developed by pediatric neuroscientists at the
Oregon Health and Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
The researchers were the first to uncover small white matter injuries
in the growing brain which had been formerly undetectable using
standard MRI procedures. The new procedure uses high magnetic field
strength MRI to accurately identify these lesions early in preterm
infants. Such early identification could lead to earlier introduction
of therapy while also allowing physicians to inform families sooner of
the possibility of the eventual development of cerebral palsy.

The research findings were published in the medical journal Annals of
Neurology by the principal investigator Stephen Back, MD, PhD.
According to Dr. Back, white matter injury is the most common reason
for chronic neurologic disability in children with cerebral palsy. The
problem is, as Dr. Back explains, is that until now babies with
cerebral palsy often show no white matter injuries in the standard
MRIs done on them, delaying beneficial treatment through intervention
and rehabilitation.

“Until now there hasn’t been a compelling reason to put preterm babies
into a high-field MRI scanner. Our work indicates the magnetic field
strength of current clinical MRI may be a limiting factor to detecting
some white matter lesions in the preterm infant. Now that we can
detect this injury, we also hope our findings may encourage MRI
researchers to find more sensitive means to detect this injury with
lower field MRIs that are widely available,” said Back, who is an
associate professor of pediatrics and neurology at the Pap- Family
Pediatric Research Institute at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

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It’s all the rage at Rutgers and Indiana U. UCSF has joined forces with a private company to develop games with therapeutic value. From Texas to Toronto to Newcastle, Game Therapy has become the next big thing. (more…)

Filed under: Technology by Wayne M. Willoughby JD
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The lack of muscle strength and flexibility are two of the most debilitating consequences of Cerebral Palsy. Weak muscles cause patients to have very little control over their movements. However, due to recent technological advances, there are many different appliances that facilitate movement and help improve mobility and thus independence. (more…)

Filed under: Technology by Wayne M. Willoughby JD
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Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the general term for people suffering from lack of control of muscle and joint movements, due to injury to the brain, either during birth or as the result of a developmental “accident” caused to the embryo. Depending on the location and extent of the damage, CP can range from mild – with minor incapacitation, to severe, leading to the patient being confined to a wheelchair or bed, with practically no control of body functions and /or movement. (more…)

Filed under: Technology by Wayne M. Willoughby JD
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Infusions of magnesium sulfate given to women in early labor cut the risk that their babies will have cerebral palsy, researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill and elsewhere reported today.
(more…)

Filed under: Technology by Wayne M. Willoughby JD
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Five-year-old Ethan Edmonson raised his hands over his head and grinned.
 

He is one of several children served by United Cerebral Palsy of West Alabama who has ridden a cycle made by Steve Shepard’s Mechanical Engineering Design I class, and the memory of riding the vehicle still brings a flush of excitement to his face. (more…)

Filed under: Technology by Robin R. Smith RN, JD
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Two young inventors are perfecting a device that gives back the power of speech to people who suffer from diseases or disabilities that have taken away their ability to talk.
 
The device, called the Audeo, translates thoughts — or, more precisely, brain signals sent to the vocal cords — into synthesized speech. Using the same technology, inventors Michael Callahan and Thomas Coleman also have created a mechanized wheelchair that moves, turns and stops in response to intercepted brain signals. (more…)

Filed under: Technology by Wayne M. Willoughby JD
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Champion greyhound Wot Price Harold has delivered a $3000 bonus and the promise of more winnings to Glen Waverley’s Cerebral Palsy Education Centre after winning the Great Chase Final. (more…)

Filed under: Technology by Randal D. Getz MD, JD
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Sufferers of brain and spinal diseases could get a boost from a developing technology that could allow them to regain the ability to communicate with computers or wheelchairs, or to other people through a synthesized voice. (more…)

Filed under: Technology by Randal D. Getz MD, JD
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