21.01.2015Learning to walk again with the help of a Robot Suit. Does this work?

Dr med. Matthias Sczesny-Kaiser, Neurological Clinic, Berufsgenossenschaftliches Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil

Stroke, craniocerebral injury, paraplegia and a host of other impairments of nerves and muscles can lead to, among other things, the paralysis of the legs, which in turn inhibits a person’s independence. A consistent conventional neurorehabilitation can considerably improve walking ability, but in most cases it cannot completely restore it. Across the globe medical engineers and biomechanics are attempting to develop robot suits, which aid in the rehabilitation process. Is this development wise? How does the nervous system react to robot-aided training? Can a robot be “better” than “human” physiotherapy? What are the success stories of this approach to date?