CPWalker: Robotic Platform for Gait Rehabilitation and Training in Patients with Cerebral Palsy (Finished)

Funding

Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of Spain, CAR of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Federal University of Espirito Santo and Colombian School of Engineering Julio Garavito.

Abstract

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a disorder of posture and movement due to a defect or lesion in the immature brain. CP is often associated to sensory deficits, cognition impairments, communication and motor disabilities, behaviour issues, seizure disorder, pain and secondary musculoskeletal problems. New strategies are needed to help to promote, maintain, and rehabilitate the functional capacity, and thereby diminish the dedication and assistance required and the economical demands that this condition represents for the patient, the caregivers and the society. The main objective of CPWalker is to develop and validate a robotic platform to support novel therapies for CP rehabilitation. This platform (Smart Walker + exoskeleton + neuroprosthesis) will be controlled by a multimodal interface to establish the interaction of CP infants with robot-based therapies. The objective of these therapies is to improve the physical skills of infants with CP and similar disorders. CPWalker concept will promote the earlier incorporation of CP patients to the rehabilitation therapy and increase the level of intensity and frequency of the exercises, which will enable the maintenance of therapeutic methods in daily basis, lead to significant improvements in the treatment outcome.