Neuro-Rehabilitation Robotics & Technology Overview
The human body has an incredible ability to adapt and rewire itself after a neurological injury. Neuro-rehabilitation fosters these changes in the body—called neuroplasticity—through repetitive, task-specific, and goal-oriented therapies.
New technologies are harnessing the power of neuroplasticity and enabling people to get more out of their rehabilitation. People with neurological injuries are reaching a level of function and independence they never thought possible.
At the Barrow Neuro-Rehabilitation Center, we continue to research and implement the latest devices across the continuum of care. We are a leader in the use of neuro-robotics, which mimic normal human movements and adapt to support and challenge your specific abilities. Not only can neuro-robotics help you return to everyday activities, they can precisely and objectively measure your progress to keep you motivated and guide your rehabilitation.
Learn more about our technologies below.
The Bioness H200 Wireless Hand Rehabilitation System has been shown in clinical trials to help improve function, reduce muscle spasms, and re-educate muscles in the hand and forearm. You may benefit from the device if you have loss of function or muscle spasms in the hand due to a stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or a neurological disorder like multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease.
The battery-powered microprocessor, which can fit inside your pocket or purse, wirelessly sends a chosen level of electrical stimulation to the hand splint. The signals allow you to practice normal hand and finger movements so that you can re-educate your muscles to perform daily tasks.
The Bionik InMotionARM/Hand is a robotic device that can help retrain your arm and hand if you have lost function after a neurologic or orthopedic issue. It focuses on improving range of motion, coordination, strength, movement speed, and movement smoothness.
Its intelligent and interactive technology continuously adapts to and challenges your abilities. It can increase the number of repetitions of movements you perform in therapy, allowing you to make the most of every session.
Ekso GT is a wearable robotic exoskeleton used for rehabilitation from a stroke or spinal cord injury. It can help you relearn the correct step patterns and weight shifts involved in walking. Ekso GT also enables you to increase the number of quality, consecutive steps during therapy. Your therapist can adjust the amount of power delivered to each side of your body to customize your therapy.
Whether you are unable to walk or have only minor walking problems, you may benefit from the device. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved Ekso GT for home use.
Barrow is an Ekso Bionics Center of Excellence.
With this we are involved in helping Ekso improve our technology by testing new offerings, aiding in research, and developing ways to ensure more patients have access.
The ArmMotus M2 by Fourier Intelligence is a robotic device that uses an immersive game-like experience to retrain your upper body after loss of function caused by a neurological issue or other illness. It offers four training modes—passive, assistive, active, and resistive—allowing it to be applied in all stages of rehabilitation. With its haptic technology, the M2 can “feel” your touch and provide the amount of help you need to complete the exercises. The device can adapt to the needs of a variety of patients with its different training types: cognitive, range of motion, muscle strength, and motor control. The M2 collects and analyzes the data from your exercises and then provides an objective evaluation and progress report to your therapists.
C-Mill by Motek, a partner of Hocoma, is an advanced treadmill designed for therapies to help you walk. The C-Mill uses augmented and virtual reality to prepare you for everyday environments and circumstances. Your therapist can easily adjust the device’s settings to simulate realistic situations, such as walking in a crowded area or avoiding obstacles, in a safe and comfortable environment. The C-Mill offers various interactive exercise games to help make therapy enjoyable, rewarding, and motivating. In addition to helping you relearn normal walking patterns, the device can help you improve your balance and ability to perform two tasks at the same time. The C-Mill collects data from your exercises to provide an in-depth, objective assessment so that you and your therapist can track your progress over time.
The Indego is a wearable robotic exoskeleton that enables people to stand and walk after a spinal cord injury. It can be used in a rehabilitation setting for gait training or at home for greater independence.
The Indego is equipped with posture-based controls for an intuitive “lean forward, walk forward” experience. The device can provide full assistance to people with paralysis or various levels of assistance to those with some lower limb function. By adjusting the amount of support to each leg, your therapist can tailor gait training to your personal goals.
The Barrow Outpatient Neuro-Rehabilitation Center is the only facility in Arizona that has Indego specialists who are certified in both clinical- and personal-use training.
The Myomo MyoPro is an EMG based robotic arm brace that requires some effort by the person to restore function in weak or partially paralyzed arms and hands. It is used for a wide range of neurological conditions, including spinal cord injury, stroke, brain tumor, traumatic brain injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis.
The MyoPro can help you perform daily activities such as feeding, reaching, and lifting. It works by continuously monitoring and sensing—but not stimulating—even very weak muscle signals. When you initiate a movement, the sensors in the brace detect the signals and provide the amount of assistance necessary.
The Olympus Digital Swallow Station features fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES), a conservative procedure used by speech-language pathologists to assess the strength and function of the muscles in the throat involved in swallowing. These muscles can be affected by a brain injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and other neurological conditions.
FEES involves passing a small camera through one of your nostrils and down to the lower jaw or sometimes the vocal cords. It provides the therapist with a direct view of the anatomy involved in swallowing while you eat and drink so that they can identify difficulties to address in therapy.
The RAPAEL Smart Glove is a sensor based device used to restore forearm, hand, wrist, and finger function after a stroke. Strapped around the hand and wrist like a glove, the device provides Visual feedback through virtual reality to the person’s active movements and records your progress as you practice everyday tasks.
The Smart Glove is used in conjunction with game-like exercises that simulate everyday movements to keep you motivated and challenged during rehabilitation.
The ReWalk ReStore Soft Exo-Suit is a wearable robotic device used to improve walking in stroke patients with a lower limb disability. The ReStore’s garment-like design includes a lightweight waist pack and mechanical cables, which lift the affected foot in synchronized timing with your natural walking pattern. The device provides targeted, adjustable assistance during the actions of pointing your foot downward and raising your foot upward, two key phases of the walking cycle. It also provides real-time feedback, which allows you and your therapist to track your progress and optimize your treatment.
Tyromotion DIEGO is a robotic device designed to help restore function in the arm and shoulder. The adjustable arm slings are controlled by overhead motors and sensors. They keep your arms suspended, making them lighter and easier to move for more repetitions.
The device is well-suited for relearning specific tasks with its interactive games and incorporation of objects. DIEGO utilizes virtual reality to support cognitive rehabilitation, stimulate neuroplasticity in the brain, and help you apply your therapy to everyday life.
Our Vestibular Suite includes a computerized balance system called the SMART Balance Master. Your therapist can manipulate the walls and floor of the system while you perform tasks on a computer screen to assess your sense of balance. They can also use the system to treat balance problems related to a concussion, a stroke, or an inner ear problem.
Your therapist will adjust the walls and floor of the system while you perform tasks on a computer screen. The system provides your therapist with real-time visual feedback.
Our Vestibular Suite is also equipped with RealEyes video Frenzel goggles, which allow your therapist to identify abnormal eye movements related to an inner ear problem, a concussion, or another neurological condition. By tracking these eye movements, your therapist can design and advance your treatment plan appropriately.
