Robots to the Rescue

John Hopkins

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Victims of stroke and autistic children are being helped by a robot and a video game. A robot guides the limbs of stroke patients repeatedly through a video game. The constant manipulation helps to rehabilitate damaged limbs of stroke patients. The robot takes over the movement of the joystick if the patient is not capable of moving it appropriately. Autistic children are also being assisted with learning and emotional development through use of the robotic technology. Autistic children are particularly attentive to the repetition of the robotic software.

Robotic technology is also being used as assitive devices for the elderly and infirmed. Despite the elderly inclination toward "computer-phobics", the devices have been well accepted as assistive devices.

With any luck, we are not too far off from the use of this technology in the rehabilitation of spinal cord and brain injury patients.