Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan Selected to Study Robotic Legs for Persons with Spinal Cord Injury

DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan is among 10 rehabilitation centers in the country that will participate in an investigational trial of eLEGS. eLEGS is a wearable robot developed by Berkeley Bionics, that powers wheelchair users up to get them standing and walking.

eLEGS is a ready-to-wear, battery-powered exoskeleton that is strapped over the user's clothing. The user initiates the steps by triggering non-invasive movement sensors in the crutches that communicate with the computer carried in a backpack. The patient doesn't bear the weight, however, as the device transfers its load directly to the ground. eLEGS provides unprecedented knee flexion, which translates into the most natural human gait available in any exoskeleton today. The device can be adjusted in a few minutes to fit most people weighing 220 pounds or less, and between 5'2" and 6'2", with at least partial upper body strength.

The rehab centers selected for the investigational trial will be the first eLEGS Centers in the world, conducting ongoing research, and offering the device for the rehabilitation of their patients. Physical therapists at Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan’s (RIM) Center for Spinal Cord Injury Recovery will be using eLEGS to primarily treat spinal cord injury patients for balance, posture and gait training.

“The Center for Spinal Cord Injury Recovery has a history of seeking out the most innovative and state-of-the-art technologies and therapuetic treatments for improving function and quality of life after a spinal cord injury,” says William H. Restum, PhD, President, RIM. “We believe eLEGS is an exciting opportunity to further advance the functional recovery of the patients we serve.” 

Berkeley Bionics plans to introduce eLEGS to the market in early 2012.

To learn more about eLEGS, watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcM0ruq28dc