Wheeled Robots Help Kids with Disabilities

Researchers from the University of Delaware are currently working on a project that is aimed at helping children with disabilities like cerebral palsy move around.

The researchers are using robotics, which is a contraption that’s reportedly a mix between a bumper car and a robot.

Being Mobile Helps Patients

Aniya Harris, a six-month-old, is one of the many that has taken a ride in the wheeled robot.

“ I think she thinks, ‘Joystick means go.’ I’ll take that right now,” explains Cole Galloway, a professor who is heading the infant motor behavior lab.

New Hope for Those with Disabilities

Galloway and other researchers believe that the robot, which is referred to as UD1, opens up an opportunity for disabled infants to explore new horizons.

The wheeled robots will enable children to explore their surroundings, which studies have proved is essential to their overall development.

Doctors suggest that only children over the age of three should be allowed on the motorized vehicles, though with supervision, younger kids like Aniya can also benefit from the machines.

How the Vehicles Work

With the help of a computer and wireless technology, researchers are able to measure the frequency and the duration of joystick use by the patient.

The location, speed, and distance traveled by the child can also be monitored, which can tell doctors about their developmental capabilities.

(Source: msnbc.com)

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