NJIT to Use New Technology for Cerebral Palsy Patients

New Jersey Institute of Technology biomedical engineers will use new technology to help children with cerebral palsy improve their movements, reduce stiffness in their joints and live more independent lives.

A new method involving small robots mounted on wheelchairs, interactive video games and a robotic arm that can be programmed to guide and aid human motion will help improve muscular control and movements among children with cerebral palsy. The engineers will also introduce some other technologies to help the cerebral palsy patients better overcome difficulties presented on a daily basis.

Cerebral palsy patients have difficulty with the way they walk, play and perform manual tasks because of the limited use of their arms caused by discoordination of their neural motor control and stiffness of their joints from spasticity. NJIT researchers have been working with a robotic arm to help stroke patients overcome spasticity and relearn movements to allow independent living, and the researchers believe the robot can be adapted so children with cerebral palsy can benefit from the technology.

A cerebral palsy patient will be able to hold onto the robot’s arm, which is programmed to perform intense, repetitive arm and finger motions. The children can do the exercises while watching virtual reality games on a computer that guide their motions and make the therapy more fun.

A computerized cable glove will also help the children move their paralyzed fingers. By repeating the motions and exercises the children’s brains can eventually be retrained, improving the patient’s manual coordination. The director of the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) at NJIT, Richard Foulds, believes the robotic arm could eventually become a standard form of physical therapy for children with cerebral palsy.

Does your child have cerebral palsy? Contact a cerebral palsy attorney who can help you obtain compensation for your child.