The New Jersey Health Foundation awarded a $50,000 one-year grant to a researcher studying an upper-limb robotic orthosis for people with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI).
Ghaith J. Androwis, PhD, senior research scientist in the Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research and director of the Center’s Rehabilitation Robotics and Research Laboratory at Kessler Foundation, received the grant for his study “Wearable Robotic Orthosis Combined with Visual/Haptic Feedback to Improve Upper Extremity Function and ADL in Persons with Chronic SCI.”
“Our study will examine the effect of the wearable upper-extremity robotic MyoPro orthotic on improving and recovering arm and hand movement function and activity of daily living in persons with chronic SCI,” said Androwis. “In addition, the study will evaluate whether providing visual/haptic feedback while the patients are assisted with the MyoPro orthotic could improve therapeutic effects of the intervention.
“The findings from the study would support the use of integrated technologies—robotic assistance plus real-time feedback—in promoting upper-extremity movement function and positively impact health and welfare of people with SCI,” he said.
