Jul 10, 2007 10:17 pm US/Eastern
Robotic Arm For Stroke Patients Gets FDA Approval
by Eileen Curran
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Myomo is a robotic arm brace that helps stroke patients regain mobility.
CBS
A stroke can be devastating and even people who make a partial recovery can be left without full use of their limbs.
But a new MIT creation that just won FDA approval will help change that.
Spaulding Rehab conducted clinical trials on the device. It's a robotic arm brace that holds great promise -- not only for stroke patients, but also people with spinal chord injuries and head injuries. And believe it or not, it started out with a couple of MIT guys who had broken bones as kids. "When I was in 5th grade I had a skiing accident broke leg had cast from hip to toes," said Kailas Narendran.
A broken leg for one, a broken arm for the other and these two inventors had the beginnings of this… the Myomo robotic arm brace. It's a wearable system for stroke patients. A sensor detects muscle signals and amplifies them -- creating movement.
John McBean and Kailas Narendran started working on the device five years ago as MIT students. Two years ago, they teamed up with businessman Steve Kelly and now, they've just gotten FDA approval. "And we're so excited now to take this to next step so people can get access to this without being part of research study," said Kelly.
During clinical studies, they noticed two things -- the immediate increase in mobility and a long term effect. "Actually training you to relearn neuron-pathways so as to eventually wean you off the device," said McBean.
That's pretty amazing, seeing as the inventors are still in their 20's. They're already working on using the technology to move other body parts and hope to have the same success as the original Myomo. "I think really from very beginning we knew had something here," said Narendran.
Like the inventors, the company name has an interesting story. A patient in the clinical trials, after 16 sessions, was able to move her arm again without the brace. She kept saying my own motion...my own motion...so they called the company "Myomo."
Right now, the device is approved for use in rehab facilities only, but the inventors are already working on a home version of the product.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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