RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Michael’s case contributes hugely to Assistive and Exoskeleton Technology.
Since Michael can’t rely on his spinal locomotor centers, ambulation is consciously implemented by his brain. At any given moment, Michael’s brain is coordinating the movements of dozens of muscles throughout his upper body, calculating the trajectory of his next step, planning his landing, anticipating hazards, and reacting to miscalculations or unexpected dangers, among many other motor tasks. In addition, his brain has to maintain balance despite a highly deficient balance system, which compares to walking on a thin wire on a windy day. Any miscalculation might result in a fall with potentially disastrous consequences. As such, Michael must remain perfectly focused throughout the process. While taking a few steps is almost unimaginable, walking for hours non-stop is practically a miracle. Dealing with issues such as muscle fatigue, pain, heat, and unexpected distractions further complicate matters. So how does Michael do it?
Michael understood while very young that a big part of the battle was more mental than physical. He has trained his brain to get past fear, discomfort, pain, self-doubt, anxiety, and other negative emotions. In addition, he taught his brain to process the massive amount of data needed to ambulate and remain highly focused for extended periods. His mental fitness and endurance set Michael apart from other subjects with the same degree of disability.
Michael gets more out of his exoskeleton than thought medically possible. The scientific team closely studies his locomotive techniques, hoping that individuals typically unqualified for an exoskeleton could use one to stand up and walk.
Michael understood while very young that a big part of the battle was more mental than physical. He has trained his brain to get past fear, discomfort, pain, self-doubt, anxiety, and other negative emotions. In addition, he taught his brain to process the massive amount of data needed to ambulate and remain highly focused for extended periods. His mental fitness and endurance set Michael apart from other subjects with the same degree of disability.
Michael gets more out of his exoskeleton than thought medically possible. The scientific team closely studies his locomotive techniques, hoping that individuals typically unqualified for an exoskeleton could use one to stand up and walk.
Spinal cord injury is a devastating condition, especially when it affects young patients in their productive years. Reclaiming an independent life is generally achieved using a manual wheelchair, a range of driving equipment, and vehicle modifications. Autonomy can be further enhanced using various home modification products such as ramps, wider doors, special sinks, grab bars, and easy-to-turn doorknobs. For the more fortunate, restoration of walking can be achieved using robotic devices.
This leads to the team's second objective: to build a lightweight, semi-powered, innovative exoskeleton that would improve the user's balance and energy efficiency, eventually allowing them to develop their own self-balancing techniques. Such a device would be a major technological breakthrough in the field and a solution to paraplegic patients, providing them with unparalleled levels of independence.
This leads to the team's second objective: to build a lightweight, semi-powered, innovative exoskeleton that would improve the user's balance and energy efficiency, eventually allowing them to develop their own self-balancing techniques. Such a device would be a major technological breakthrough in the field and a solution to paraplegic patients, providing them with unparalleled levels of independence.
TESTING
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TESTIMONIALS
Dr. Tarek Gherbal, Head of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation
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As far as we know, Michael is a unique case in the world. Among paraplegics, including paraplegic athletes, I'm not aware of any other individual who has the same level of Michael's spinal cord injury and is able to be as independent, versatile and as high-performing, athletically speaking. |