Industry News Oct. 09, 2024
Human in Motion Robotics' self-balancing XoMotion exoskeleton has gained Canadian approval from Health Canada for use in ambulatory rehabilitation. XoMotion is scheduled to be available at rehabilitation centers in 2025 for spinal cord injury rehabilitation. Patients with neurological diseases and strokes can expect a future version to become available for physical therapy.
The self-balancing exoskeleton reduces the need for multiple assistants to prevent falls during ambulatory rehabilitation. This also reduces the fear of falling and allows patients to focus on their training rather than preventing falls. The exoskeleton handles users reaching for objects, bending over, sitting and standing, and walking down small steps.
The dexterity of the exoskeleton and self-balancing feature will ultimately allow users to independently walk about their homes and surroundings, but this aspect has not been demonstrated in real-world situations yet, unlike the Wandercraft Atalante X exoskeleton used to carry the Olympic Torch in Paris. The Wandercraft can also dynamically adjust to others bumping into the user. Whether the XoMotion exoskeleton can handle such situations has also not been revealed.
The XoMotion fits patients with a height between five feet and six feet four inches tall (1.52 to 1.93 m) and with a maximum weight of 220 pounds (99.8 kg). The exoskeleton is powered by hot-swappable batteries. The exoskeleton was developed by Simon Fraser University's School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering researchers.
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The XoMotion exoskeleton will initially be used for spinal cord injury rehabilitation in Canada. (Image source: Human in Motion Robotics)
The XoMotion exoskeleton provides users with the ability to move about during rehabilitation without external support from physical therapists. (Image source: Human in Motion Robotics)
