Toyota’s robotic leg brace is expected to help people with partial paralysis walk again.
The way it works is the brace — Welwalk WW-1000 — is worn on the patients’ affected leg, according to Tech Crunch. The robotic brace has a motor element located at the patient’s knee joint, which helps them to slowly, but surely gain the strength to walk again.
The leg brace works with a custom treadmill and a harness as well. There’s also a touchscreen device for doctors to be able to control each component specifically for the benefit of the patient.
According to The Associated Press, Toyota Motor Corp. showcased the new equipment for the media at its headquarters in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Medical facilities in Japan will be able to rent the brace and its accompanying components later this year, but it will cost a pretty penny.
Facilities will be required to pay an initial one-time fee of $9,000 as well as $3,200 on a monthly basis.
“Our vision is about trying to deliver mobility for everybody,” Toshiyuki Isobe, Toyota’s chief officer for research, said, according to The Associated Press. “We have been developing industrial robotics for auto manufacturing, and we are trying to figure out how we can use that technology to fill social needs and help people more.”
According to Tech Crunch, Toyota’s robotic brace has sensors built into it that customize the rehab experience for the patient, giving the affected leg just the amount of support that it needs, which is expected to avoid re-injury.
Fujita Health University teamed up with Japan to create the robotic device.
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