DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan's Top 5 Biggest News Stories of 2011: #2 on our Countdown

This week on Facebook we are counting down and sharing DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan’s Top 5 biggest news stories of 2011.

Coming in at #2 on our list is: Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM) Selected to Study Robotic Legs for Persons with Spinal Cord Injury

RIM is among 10 rehabilitation centers in the country that will participate in an investigational trial of Ekso (formerly called eLegs). Ekso is a wearable robot developed by Ekso Bionics, that powers wheelchair users up to get them standing and walking.

Ekso 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. Ekso provides unprecedented knee flexion, which translates into the most natural human gait available in any exoskeleton today.

The rehab hospitals selected for the investigational trial will be the first Ekso 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 Ekso 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 Ekso is an exciting opportunity to further advance the functional recovery of the patients we serve.”