Assistive Technologies
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It can be difficult for blind people to learn to read braille, as they don't have any way of seeing which character the dots that they're feeling represent. That's where the BrailleWear glove comes in, as it verbally tells them.
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Ordinarily, we associate mouthguards with sports such as boxing and football. An experimental new one, however, could allow people who lack the use of their hands to control electronic devices – and it would do so by tracking their bite patterns.
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As their sense of balance deteriorates, seniors are at an increased risk of potentially debilitating falls. A new wearable assistive robot could help, by detecting and preventing such falls before they actually occur.
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Among other things, people with Parkinson's disease suffer from a slowness of movement and a stiffness of the muscles. A new wearable device may help alleviate those symptoms, by buzzing the user in the chest.
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Three years ago, we heard about an assistive upper-body exoskeleton called the Paexo Shoulder. Its German manufacturer, Ottobock, has announced an updated model, now going by the name of the Ottobock Shoulder.
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Although many of us may have forgotten about Google Glass, the technology is now the base of a set of glasses designed to assist the blind. Known as Envision Glasses, they utilize AI to verbally tell their wearer what they're looking at.
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Although there are various systems that detect quadriplegics' head movements, most such setups are limited to the control of wheelchairs. Such is not the case, however, with the MagTrack system.
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Last year, German Bionic revealed a fourth generation of its Cray X exoskeleton, keeping things light by employing a carbon fiber frame. Now the 5th gen has been announced, which is reported to be the first of its kind to support two body regions.
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Lower-body exoskeletons don't merely thrust the wearer's legs forward – they move them based on the user's existing gait. A team at Harvard University has now developed what is claimed to be a better method of gauging that gait, utilizing ultrasound.
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While there are now several powered exoskeletons designed for use by specific groups, there are few if any that are aimed at the general public. Hong Kong-based Enhanced Robotics is out to change that, with its Sportsmate 5.
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When you're carrying a heavy load, it can be pretty difficult walking across flat ground, let alone climbing stairs. The Koma 1.5 is designed to help, by alternately acting as a powered buggy or a two-legged lower-body exoskeleton.
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The James Dyson Award is an international competition to encourage students to get creative to solve the world's pressing problems. The national finalists have been announced for 2021, showcasing ideas that help people and the environment.
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