{"id":445443,"date":"2023-05-08T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-08T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innovationorigins.com\/?p=445443"},"modified":"2023-05-08T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-05-08T14:00:00","slug":"ables-exoskeleton-facilitates-motion-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/ables-exoskeleton-facilitates-motion-recovery\/","title":{"rendered":"ABLE’s exoskeleton facilitates motion recovery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After Alfons Carnicero\u2019s father suffered a stroke, his personal and professional life had a turning point. \u201cSince then, I got familiar with the rehabilitation practices, noticing how these weren\u2019t good enough. That\u2019s when I decided to shift the focus of my career,\u201d he says. Being an industrial engineer by training, he enrolled in a biomedical engineering master, meeting the two co-founders of ABLE Human Motion<\/a> \u2013 Alex Garcia and Josep Maria Font. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Spanish startup developed an exoskeleton that enables mobility for physically impaired people. Cheaper and lighter than other options available on the market, the device adapts to the user and the different recovery stages. Only a few of these devices are available in hospitals \u2013 and patients use them for a limited time. Carnicero spoke about his company and its technology in this installment of the Start-up of the Day series<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What kind of therapy do post-stroke patients receive? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cManual therapy is the current standard of care, as therapists help patients move their limbs. It is a low-intensity exercise with few repetitions, not speeding up the neurorehabilitation process. Moreover, it comes at a high cost because healthcare institutions only cover the initial part of the recovery that patients continue in private medical centers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does your exoskeleton work? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe exoskeleton has four electric motors \u2013 two on the hips and two on the knees \u2013 to replace muscles. An array of inertial sensors detects the user\u2019s intention to perform a movement. These sensing units \u2013 no different from those embedded in smartphones \u2013 identify accelerations.  Once a movement is detected, they order the motors to extend joints to take a step. This process happens in real-time, thanks to algorithms that adapt to every user. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since it\u2019s designed for rehabilitation, therapists can maximize limbs\u2019 movement. For instance, if the patient\u2019s condition has improved, robots can be adjusted to apply less power, thus optimizing the recovery process. Doctors can fine-tune the device\u2019s sensibility, setting it high when the user\u2019s ability to move is lower. All setups can be edited via a mobile app the therapist can use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patient\u2019s data is stored in a cloud, so setting the exoskeleton up for a specific person is easier, as it remembers the previously used settings and performances.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"ekoskeleton\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n
On the left is a render of the exoskeleton, and on the right a therapy session. – \u00a9 ABLE Human Motion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How does a therapy session work? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe patient arrives at the session in a wheelchair, with the exoskeleton placed on a nearby chair. Before the patient comes, the therapist sets the device\u2019s size \u2013 similar to a pair of trousers \u2013 to fit the user. The device has a feature that lifts up the leg to provide more space for the patient to fit in the skeleton. Then, thanks to specially designed textile straps, the user can autonomously attach the exoskeleton to the body using one hand only, as the other is used for holding the torso up. It takes about seven minutes to wear and to take the device off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When ready, the patient can push a button to start the stand-up motion activity, with the knees\u2019 motors that unleash power to push one up. As the user is up, the session \u2013 taking up to an hour and a half \u2013 can start.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does the rehabilitation process evolve? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe designed the exoskeleton to adapt to the patient\u2019s progress and to different kinds of movement impairment. When used for the first time, the therapist makes the patient walk by pushing buttons on the back of the device. As one gets used to the exoskeleton, one controls it and decides when and how to take every step.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>
<\/div><\/div>
Technical breakthrough is going to change lives; new exoskeleton keeps itself balanced<\/div>
An exoskeleton is a robotic harness that can enable people with spinal cord injuries, for example, to stand and walk again. <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

Who can use your device? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt the moment, we are certifying the device for people who suffered a spinal cord injury below the fifth cervical vertebra. If the patient still controls the triceps, one can use the exoskeleton with a walker. Besides this use case, we are working to allow people who suffered a stroke or are affected by multiple sclerosis to use it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did you manage to bring costs down while creating a high-quality device? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur goal has always been to cut costs without sacrificing functionality. Analyzing the existing technologies, we found out that, for instance, electric motors were one of the most expensive components. Therefore, we redesigned them as well as other components. Furthermore, we eliminated all non-strictly necessary features of an exoskeleton, simplifying the technology.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>
<\/div><\/div>
Start-up of the day archive<\/div>
Spread all over Europe, thousands of young companies are working hard every day to make our world a lot better tomorrow.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

How much does one of your exoskeletons cost? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt comes for \u20ac60,000, half the price of the main market competitor, which costs \u20ac130,000.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s next for ABLE? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe aim at getting the conformity certification as a medical device by the end of the year, entering the market immediately after. We also target finishing a four million euros funding round by the end of 2023, which would indeed help us commercialize the exoskeleton to hospitals in Europe. By 2025, our ambition is to release a simplified version of the device for home use.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After Alfons Carnicero\u2019s father suffered a stroke, his personal and professional life had a turning point. \u201cSince then, I got familiar with the rehabilitation practices, noticing how these weren\u2019t good enough. That\u2019s when I decided to shift the focus of my career,\u201d he says. Being an industrial engineer by training, he enrolled in a biomedical […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2084,"featured_media":495190,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"views\/single-startup.blade.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3009],"tags":[77786,38657,38662,35348],"location":[39958],"article_type":[6758],"serie":[],"archives":[],"internal_archives":[],"reboot-archive":[],"class_list":["post-445443","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-startup","tag-able-human-motion","tag-exoskelet","tag-exoskeleton","tag-start-up-of-the-day","location-spain","article_type-interview"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":{"subtitle":"Spanish start-up ABLE Human Motion designed an exoskeleton that adapts to physically impaired patients and eases their recovery process. ","text_display_homepage":false},"author_meta":{"display_name":"Mauro Mereu","author_link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/author\/mauro-mereu\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Ricard_with_ABLE_Exoskeleton_1.png","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["Start-ups<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Start-ups<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["ABLE Human Motion<\/a>","exoskelet<\/a>","exoskeleton<\/a>","Start-up of the day<\/a>"],"unlinked":["ABLE Human Motion<\/span>","exoskelet<\/span>","exoskeleton<\/span>","Start-up of the day<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 3 years ago","modified":"Updated 3 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on May 8, 2023","modified":"Updated on May 8, 2023"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on May 8, 2023 4:00 pm","modified":"Updated on May 8, 2023 4:00 pm"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/445443","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2084"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=445443"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/445443\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/495190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=445443"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=445443"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=445443"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=445443"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=445443"},{"taxonomy":"serie","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/serie?post=445443"},{"taxonomy":"archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/archives?post=445443"},{"taxonomy":"internal_archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal_archives?post=445443"},{"taxonomy":"reboot-archive","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reboot-archive?post=445443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}