RP-VITA

Roomba is a robotic vacuum cleaner. InTouch Health is its manufacturer, a big name in telemedicine devices. InTouch Health also developed the RP-VITA (Remote Presence Virtual + Independent Telemedicine Assistant).

RP-VITA has an enhanced navigation capability, autonomous navigation, real-time access to important clinical data, and iPad user interface. 2

  

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Robotic C-arm X-ray system

The Discovery is neither floor nor ceiling-mounted, but has the mobility of a C-arm with the power and image quality of a fixed system. It incorporates a breakthrough innovation using a motorized laser-guided (mobile) gantry with wide bore C-arm, which enables interventional cardiologists to perform complex, minimally invasive procedures in an OR environment, as it allows complete access to the patient from either side of the table while maintaining sterility.

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Robotic Feeding System Activated With Just a Glance

Current self-feeding devices on the market cost around $3500, but iCRAFT can be constructed for just around $900.

With the iCRAFT system, there is absolutely no physical connection between the device and the user. All the user needs to do is look at one of four large, brightly-colored rectangles on a computer screen that corresponds to his or her food or drink choice. The eye-tracking camera near the monitor and the special software takes care of the rest, tracking the user’s pupil movements and activating a robot arm with attached eating accoutrement to scoop the food and bring it to the user’s mouth.

The simplicity of the system makes it an attractive solution for giving paralyzed patients more independence in eating with minimal help from a caregiver.  

Cystoscopy simulator also to practice BOTOX injections

Touch of Life Technologies (ToLTech), an Aurora, Colorado company that develops medical simulators, is releasing a cystoscopy simulator for practicing BOTOX injections into the detrusor muscle of the bladder.  The procedure was approved by the FDA last year as a treatment option for patients with urinary incontinence arising from neurologic conditions such as multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury.

Bandid makes stroke survivors to exercise

The robot looks very much like a Bandit 2 model. The device uses multiple imaging modalities, as well as a wrist-worn galvanic sensor on the patient to track a person’s vital statistics and the position of the limb being rehabilitated. What’s also somewhat unique about the USC robot is the personality it is given. Rather than merely being a speaking machine, the USC robot interacts almost like an early version of C-3PO, gently responding based on the person’s mood. Not only will the robot give you a warm greeting, but during your rehab exercises it’ll give you not-so-subtle feedback on your effort (“I may be a robot, but I am not blind”).

NJIT-RAVR system for hand practice in CP and stroke

The NJIT-RAVR system utilizes the Haptic Master® (Moog, The Netherlands) a 6 degree of freedom forcecontrolled robot combined with a ring gimbal.



Simulations:
a) The Bubble Explosion simulation the speed and accuracy of shoulder and elbow movements during a series of reaching movements in a 3D work-space. Stereoscopic glasses are used to enhance depth perception, which produces more normal upper extremity trajectories and increases the sense of immersion.
b) Cup Reach - the screen displays a three-dimensional room with a haptically rendered table and set of shelves. The shelves are at three different levels in height. The simulation utilizes a calibration protocol that allows the height, width and distance to the shelves to be adjusted to accommodate the movement abilities of the subject. Individual virtual cups with a handle will appear on the table, and a red square indicating where the cup is to be placed is displayed.
c) FallingObjects - aims to improve upper extremity reaching towards a moving object. Subjects are presented with targets falling from six points across the top of the screen, three on each side of their midline. The subjects move their hand as quickly as possible from midline to the target, trying to catch it as quickly and high on the screen as possible. Feedback related to the speed of each catch, the total number of successful catches and the height of each successful catch is presented.

d) HammerHM simulation focuses on improving forearm rotation. During training, a target (vertically oriented wooden rod) appears in the middle of the screen. The subject reaches the target peg and uses repetitive forearm rotation movements to swing a virtual hammer, driving the target into the ground.
e) Spaceship - focuses on improving the speed & accuracy of frontal plane shoulder & elbow movements. The subject moves a virtual space-ship through a representation of a human blood vessel. Objects within the blood vessel represent obstacles or targets. Game speed, global forces, work space, and target/obstacle density can be adjusted to accommodate sensory and cognitive processing.

Ekso Bionics (Berkeley, CA) has recently delivered the ready-to-wear, battery-powered Ekso exoskeleton to its first customer, the Craig Hospital in Denver, an institution dedicated to spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. The Ekso system is strapped on to the user over clothing, enabling paraplegics to stand and walk.  The company will deliver more units over the next few months.

While the unit weighs in at 45 pounds, it is transferred to the ground rather than to the patient. The system can accommodate most patients who weigh 220 or less and who are between 5’2” and 6’2” in height.

The company, which was founded in 2005, has been supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Defense and has benefited from collaboration with researchers at UC Berkeley. In addition, the firm has licensed HULC technology from Lockheed Martin.

The company also partnered with rehabilitation centers across the United States to complete a ten-month investigational study on 63 subjects who passed a preliminary health screening.

The company’s exoskeleton technology recently wowed the audience in attendance at the recentFutureMed event. Check out this excerpt from that presentation:

Post da Vinci surgery

Robots could be used in the OR to replace scrub nurses, who pass surgical tools to surgeons. Nurses have more important things to do, like interacting with patients - Dr. Satava

12 degree of freedom prosthetic arm from Lego components

The hand movements are powered using Lego pneumatics while the wrist pronation/supination, wrist flexion/extension, and elbow flexion/extension are powered by Lego motors. It is controlled by a set of simple joysticks and switches, and the pneumatic actuators can be driven via a Lego air compressor or a series of hand pumps.

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Developed by engineering student Max Shepherd.