Walking difficulties due to conditions like cerebral palsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, etc., make performing daily activities difficult for patients. They also rob patients of a sense of freedom. While canes, wheelchairs, walkers and other devices are in place to assist, advanced mobility technology can go a step ahead.
Cionic, a medical engineering firm, has developed first-of-its-kind bionic clothing called Neural Sleeve that can assist people with walking difficulties and has shown significant results.
Let’s know more about Neural Sleeve and how it is helping people with walking difficulties.
Cionic’s Neural Sleeve
Neural Sleeve is an AI-powered bionic leg wrap that uses Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) to correct muscle movements and help people with walking difficulties move around with less constriction. This can prove effective for people with stroke, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis among others.
Built of lightweight-breathable fabric, patients can easily wrap it around their legs and fasten it with velcro closure. Its elegant design makes it feel less like a medical device and more like a fashion accessory worth celebrating and showing off.
To develop this innovative neural solution, Cionic joined hands with Fuseproject led by Yves Behar, an industrial design and branding firm that builds elegant health devices combining modern technology and fashion.
How does Neural Sleeve work?
Worn with a receptor module placed inside an integrated pocket, the Neural sleeve combines Al and functional electrical stimulation (FES) to work as a remote control for your leg.
The receptor module collects the information on the user’s gait patterns and transfers it to the electrodes, which stimulate the muscles—hamstring, calf, shin, and quadriceps—to bring out micro-corrections in their movement.
During the research trials, 88% of participants showed improvement in ankle inversion and an improvement of nine degrees in foot drop movement. Overall, the sleeve helped participants strengthen their legs, improve mobility, and enhance their range of motion, as claimed by Cionic.
Cionic Neural Sleeve recently received FDA approval, and its product deliveries are to begin in 2023.
About CIONIC
CIONIC is a US-based next-gen medical engineering company that builds platforms for super powering the human body. Launched in 2018, the company was founded by serial entrepreneur Jeremiah Robison in hopes to assist his daughter, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy that impaired her motor skills and ability to walk.
Driven and motivated to cure her daughter, Robinson started building a venture that would help people with mobility problems. Since then, Cionic has been on a mission to empower all mobility impaired to live independently.
The startup has raised a total of $10.8M in funding over 3 rounds. HealthTech Capital, LDV Capital and EPIC Ventures are some of its investors.
“With more than 35 million Americans living with mobility impairments, the need for customizable full spectrum solutions is growing particularly within the ageing population,” – Cionic
