The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (National MS Society) has selected 16 finalists for its 2011 da Vinci awards. Among the honorees are:
- Adaptive Sports Transition Ankle™, Adaptive Sports Ankle Prosthetics, The Woodlands, Texas, which enables individuals with lower-limb amputations to participate in aquatic and equestrian activities.
- Austin Exoskeleton Project, a low-cost exoskeleton system developed at the University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley Robotics & Human Engineering Laboratory.
- Intelligently Controlled Assistive Rehabilitation Elliptical (ICARE) robotic-gait system developed by researchers at the Institute for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, Lincoln, Nebraska, in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
- SideStix forearm crutches, SideStix, Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada.
According to the National MS Society, the da Vinci awards recognize “the most innovative adaptive and assistive technologies that enable equal access and opportunity for all people, regardless of ability.” The finalists and their technologies will be honored at an awards gala to be held September 22 at the Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Michigan, at which time the 2011 da Vinci winners will be announced. All proceeds benefit the National MS Society Michigan chapter.
Video submissions for each finalist can be viewed on YouTube. A “People’s Choice Award ” will be presented to the finalist receiving the highest number of YouTube “thumbs up” votes.
