Machines helping people are now starting to see more light as there are a lot of creative and innovative ways that shows that the world of tomorrow is starting today.
Machines helping people is a logical and practical idea
Published recently in the journal Scientific Reports researchers from Brazil are gaining good headway into studies regarding spine injury and how they could better improve patient mobility.
The researchers made an unexpected discovery where they found that patients undergoing therapy and in brain training to interact with mobility-assisting robots were found to recover some of their movement and sensation.
Retraining the brain and nerves for recovery
Research lead Dr. Miguel Nicolelis, a physician and a neuroscientist, with the Duke University says that regardless whether it was a startling discovery, they were able to determine that those suffering from these conditions may see a bright ray of hope.
Nicolelis points out that damaged spinal tissues may be able to regain some brain functions even after a stroke episode through constant practice and repetition.
Even with severe spinal injuries, patients may be able to recover their mobility, even gradually over time through physical therapy especially if there are still some nerve fibers that are intact.
Improved quality of life
Nicolelis, highlights that they were able to track the progress of eight paralyzed people in their study who recovered some of their mobility, albeit not enough to let them support their own weight with their legs, he did point out that their partial recovery contributed to highly improving their quality of life.
Their milestones included better bowel control and bladder functions, while there was even a woman who decided to have a baby through normal delivery and was happy she could even feel the contractions during childbirth.
They used robotics technology to assist these people with their mobility.
Brain training
At the start of the study, Nicolelis and his team started to train the participants with paraplegia to mentally instruct their muscles with the use of virtual reality googles and by providing them with the tactile feedback on their arms and hands.shall be picked up
They wanted the brain to develop signals through electrodes and use it to control the heavy robotics machine.
This is when they started to notice that when the patients improved their ability to visualize their limb movements they also noted regaining sensation and some physical movement.
“For the first time in many years they were able to voluntarily control their muscles,” he says. “They could move their legs or contract muscles under voluntary control. Some people had their level of paralysis upgraded to a less severe rating of “incomplete paraplegia.”
Although they have not yet delved into the main reason behind these milestones, but is hopeful that they may be able to conduct more research and help find solutions to paraplegics worldwide.
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