“Robot Clothes” May Offer Increased Mobility for Children with Cerebral Palsy

 Posted on October 06, 2022 in Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy affects an individual’s ability to control his or her muscles, but the condition varies significantly with regard to severity. Some children with cerebral palsy are only mildly affected by the condition. They can play, walk, or even participate in sports. Others are nearly immobilized by the condition.

Fortunately, innovations in science, medicine, and engineering offer hope to cerebral palsy sufferers and their parents. Just recently, UC Riverside engineers received a $1.5 million grant to develop clothing that will increase mobility for children with cerebral palsy. The so-called “robot clothing” will, ideally, enable children with cerebral palsy to better control limb movement, perform physical activities like eating and grooming, and be more independent.

Innovative Robotic Clothing Will Incorporate Mechanical and Digital Technology

Anyone who has watched children interact with the world knows the critical role physical movement plays in the lives of children. Kids love to touch and explore their surroundings. They play with toys and chase each other on the playground. Children with moderate to severe cerebral palsy are limited in their physical abilities. Many struggle to crawl, walk, feed themselves, write, or hold objects. They are burdened by spasms and chaotic movements. Scientists have developed many different strategies and technologies to aid cerebral palsy sufferers, including many computer-based technologies that help children with CP learn, grow, and communicate with others.

The robotic clothing project is a joint effort involving UC Riverside and the Children’s Hospital of Orange County. Children with cerebral palsy will help test prototypes and help researchers further improve the comfort and effectiveness of the products. Researchers plan to use pockets of air that inflate and deflate, causing the rigidity needed to move the wearer’s limbs. For example, air would rush to the elbow region of an arm sleeve to extend the arm and rush to a different section of the sleeve to bend the arm. The robotic clothing will incorporate algorithmic learning that predicts the wearer’s needs and moves accordingly. Hopefully, the clothing will allow children with cerebral palsy to better control their movements and gain greater independence.

Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyers for Children with Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is sometimes caused by physical trauma or oxygen deprivation during a child’s birth. If you suspect that negligent medical care during your child’s birth caused him or her to develop cerebral palsy, contact Birth Injury Law Alliance, Ltd. to discuss your legal options. You may be able to secure financial compensation for your child’s past and future medical needs, physical therapy, assistive devices, specialized education, and more. Call our Cook County birth injury attorneys today at 312-462-4200 for a free, no-obligation case assessment.

Sources:

https://eandt.theiet.org/content/articles/2022/09/robot-clothes-could-help-children-with-cerebral-palsy-move/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cerebral-palsy/symptoms-causes/syc-20353999