...Exoskeletal-Assisted Walking Program. Mr. Woo’s story is a memorable and courageous one from the time of his injury in a horrific construction-related accident six years ago; more in Paralyzed By Seven Tons Of Steel, Man Now Walks With A Bionic Suit (Gothamist). Video in this local CBS News clip. This is certainly the most developed version of an exoskeleton and robotics to enable paraplegics to walk, yet it is still not easy and requires specialized training; most exoskeletons to date have concentrated on assisting lower body movement. Hat tip to Donald Andrews of New York-Presbyterian/Lev El Medical via LinkedIn Groups.... Continue Reading
Search Results for darpa robotics
‘Game changing’ healthcare robots
Healthcare service robots have definitely gone ‘mainstream’ if two are ‘Game Changer’ winners in the industry’s Robotics Business Review. The honors go to the Aethon TUG, a laser and infrared-guided robo-deliverer for medications, lab specimens, food, blood, linens–and remover of trash and waste; and the sumo-like Hstar Technologies RoNA – Robotic Nursing Assistant System to lift extremely heavy patients and minimize nurse/aide injury. Among the finalists were the iRobot Ava using the Cisco TelePresence EX telemedicine platform and (a new one on this Editor) a physician assistant for the delicate work of scalp hair transplantation, Restoration Robotics ARTAS Robotic System.... Continue Reading
Telemedicine in the TIME Swampland
...to specific rural areas, Native American territories/Indian Health Service, and of course the often-mentioned mess of cross-state physician licensing. However, the Accountable Care Act is not going to be the savior as its implementation is hardly going smoothly. Earlier CMS policies on 30-day same cause readmissions have had far more impact. There is the to-be-expected muddling of telemedicine (virtual consults) and telehealth (monitoring)–and robotics gets a ‘say wot?’ mention. The kicker is the headline and accompanying picture: “Saving U.S. Health Care With Skype” Skype, while used in ‘telemental health’ [TTA 11 May], is not HIPAA-compliant for patient privacy. Were TIME’s... Continue Reading
‘For realsie’ take 2: DARPA seeking Warrior Web ‘super suit’ (US)
[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Warrior_Web_Boston_Dynamics_sent-425×283.jpg” thumb_width=”175″ /]The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) continues its work on its version of an exoskeleton, called previously a ‘mech suit’ and in this article a ‘super suit’, to ease the load on soldiers who routinely carry 80-100lbs in the field and rough terrain. They are now up to ‘Web Task B’ which pulls together the ‘Task A’ components into a prototype ‘fully integrated undersuit system’ that ‘significantly boosts endurance, carrying capacity and overall soldier effectiveness—all while using no more than 100 watts of power.’ (Concept at left, DARPA photo) Proposals can be in one or... Continue Reading
First human to human brain control – yikes!
...instance in the treatment of depression). “I think some people will be unnerved by this because they will overestimate the technology,” said Chantel Prat, assistant professor in psychology at the UW’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences. “There’s no possible way the technology that we have could be used on a person knowingly or without their willing participation.” […and version 2.0?!] Both brilliant and unnerving, developments in this area will most certainly be worth a watch for the gimlet-eyed! Read more: University of Washington News / PopSci Related TTA article: On DARPA’s wish list: a portable brain recording device (US)... Continue Reading
An update on the MOBISERV Kompaï project takes some flak
A long (and in need of editing), anodyne article on the European tech website Cordis updating the status of the EU/UK robotics project known as MOBISERV and the Kompaï companion robot, has generated a bit of controversy in the mHealth LinkedIn group (membership required). Group manager David Doherty, better known for his mHealthInsight (3GDoctor) website, objects to the design, the time and funds spent on it, and more. To summarize his points: It’s a waste of money on a device and R&D which could have been used on more targeted solutions to real problems A ‘touch screen robo-vehicle’ may not... Continue Reading
Pressure-sensitive electronic ‘skin’
[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/skin-monitor-130513.jpg” thumb_width=”175″ /]A thin pressure sensor under development by a team at Stanford University has the potential to impact robotics, health tech devices, smartwatches and prosthetics. A transistor made of a flexible polymer semiconductor is actually more sensitive than skin, detecting temperature, pressure and humidity, and works even when curved. At a pulse point, it not only detected pulse but also “a second, weaker wave of blood being bounced back from the extremities, and a third wave that can provide a measurement of the stiffness of the artery. Stiff arteries can be a sign of damage from diabetes, or... Continue Reading
New York, New York, it’s a health tech town (Part 3/wrapup)
...to determine in what seemed to be a very long 40 minutes. More gathering and snacking at the back of the room at the end. More chatting and…what’s this, networking with the speakers? But no, there was no break. The ‘shhhing’ emanated loudly from the podium, and the next panel was seated, immediately at approximately 1:25pm. ‘Five Technologies We’re Betting Your Health On’ –the Aging Population (GreatCall), Big Data (Audax Health), Consumer Platforms (Medivizor), Genomics (Life Technologies) and instead of Robotics, Telemedicine (MDLive)–was moderated by the lively Ned Russell of Saatchi & Saatchi Health. Life Tech was up first with... Continue Reading
DARPA Virtual Robotics Challenge winners (US)
‘Tis the season for competitions to end and winners to be announced. Earlier this month, the virtual part of DARPA’s multi-level 2013-2014 Robotics Challenge engaged 26 teams from eight countries, both DARPA-funded and ‘open’ (unfunded) competitors, in a series of software tests for specific tasks applied to a simulated ATLAS robot. There were nine winners who will move ahead to the physical DRC Trials with a real ATLAS robot in December 2013. DARPA/VRC press release, Gizmag.... Continue Reading
Got robot? And perhaps make $2 million. (US)
DARPA’s annual Robotics Challenge (DRC) is served up again for 2013. This round they are looking for the ‘next gen’ in disaster response and performance in hazardous areas. Entries will be field tested in three stages over this year and next at increasing levels of difficulty: The Virtual Robotics Challenge, the DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials, and the DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals. And as the writer put it, “you get to build a robot, designed to help people, for money.” See more and application links at Armed With Science.... Continue Reading
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