This new neural sleeve helps people overcome mobility challenges

Cionic

A new mobility sleeve under development and out of stealth promises a compelling solution for those suffering a variety of mobility issues. Combining two critical signal technologies to both monitor and stimulate the neuromuscular system, the sleeve is on the cutting edge of lightweight next-gen mobility devices.

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A Silicon Valley serial entrepreneur invented the technology following his daughter's cerebral palsy diagnosis. Jeremiah Robison, an alum of companies like Apple and Jawbone, was inspired by two of his daughter's clinical experiences. The first was a complex data capture session at a gait lab using optical and EMG sensors, which recorded precise information about how she walked. About a year later, functional electrical stimulation was introduced as part of her physical therapy. Electrode pads were placed on individual muscle groups, which a therapist stimulated during walking sessions to stimulate and strengthen the muscles.

Robison's device and the company he formed to develop the technology, CIONIC, sought to combine the gait sensing and functional stimulation elements that heretofore have required clinical oversight. The device is a wearable for people with mobility issues that doesn't just monitor leg movements but actually helps activate the person's muscles. This is far more difficult to pull off than it may sound due to the complexity of combining multiple signals. Combining electromyography (EMG) and functional electrical stimulation (FES) into a single sensor array is almost never done as it is difficult to detect the brain/body signaling while also stimulating. 

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