A confident and stable walk is one of the most important elements of independent life. Various neurological conditions can impair this fundamental ability. Cionic is a company that is working to empower individuals with impaired mobility.
The company recently received FDA clearance for the use of their first bionic clothing, the Neural Sleeve, in patients with leg muscle weakness and foot drop (difficulty lifting the front part of the foot). According to the company, it is the first product that has combined movement analysis and augmentation in clothing.
Cionic’s Neural Sleeve is a lightweight leg-worn bionic clothing product that is used to stimulate muscles for gait assistance in people with mobility issues. The sleeve is now being marketed to actively help people with mobility problems due to stroke, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Cerebral Palsy (CP), and other neurological conditions. It works in three parts:
- Read signals: The advanced algorithms in the sleeve read signals sent to muscles by the brain. This results in an accurate prediction of the person’s movement 0.1 seconds ahead of the actual movement.
- Predict movement: The sleeve uses a variety of sensors to predict the intended movement based on the body’s position and the way muscles fire (activate/contract) during movement.
- Augment stable walk: Based on this real-time data, neural Sleeve sensors send functional electrical stimulation to optimize muscle firing for natural movement.
The mobility product is constructed from soft and flexible fabric that fits the user’s leg. It will be available in a variety of colors so that people can choose per their style. Interested individuals may join the Founder’s Program for pre-order at www.cionic.com
