Discover our latest articles and interviews:
A low-cost robotic arm as an alternative to conventional prostheses
ARM2u is a team of 15 students from BarcelonaTech, developing a customizable robotic arm prosthesis controlled by the user's muscle contractions, with plans to compete in the Cybathlon 2024 event. Their aim is to market a low-cost prosthesis made with 3D printing technology.
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Electronic skin as flexible as crocodile skin
The development of electronic skin with multiple senses is essential for various fields, including rehabilitation, healthcare, prosthetic limbs, and robotics. One of the key components of this technology is stretchable pressure sensors, which can detect various types of touch and pressure.
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New Permobil Sustainability Report: a sustainable society needs to be an inclusive society
Permobil has published its sustainability report which underlines that their key contribution to sustainability is raising the societal inclusion question. To drive change and increase inclusiveness and diversity, Permobil ran a campaign to challenge attitudes and inspire others to see possibilities in every individual.
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Patent for new high-tech glasses technology of the start up .lumen
The technology of "the glasses that replace the guide dog" has been patented in the USA and will soon be patented in the European Union. The technology provides a new level of mobility and self-determination for people with blindness and visual impairments, replicating the capabilities of a guide dog through cameras, computer chips, haptic signals, and sounds.
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FutureSafe 2.0: The new head and backrest for vehicles
AMF-Bruns GmbH & Co. KG has released a new, revised version of the FutureSafe. It is a head and backrest that is individually adjusted to the person in a wheelchair and protects in case of car accidents. The FutureSafe 2.0 offers numerous advantages compared to its predecessor, such as more comfort due to additional cushions for head and back support.
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How to pick the right shower chair model with the help of the Shower chair buyers guide
Before choosing a shower chair, a full assessment of mobility needs should be completed by an occupational therapist to determine the necessary equipment and carer support. Showerbuddy can be customised to fit different types of showers and can provide support for both showering and toileting, with a range of adjustment options available to cater to body support needs.
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Ottobock acquires patient care company Brillinger
The acquisition of the patient care provider from the German state of Baden-Württemberg expands Ottobock's care network across Germany. The takeover allows Ottobock to persistently continue its growth strategy.
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PARAVAN driving school for people with physical disabilities
The PARAVAN driving school in the mobility park Aichelau is now equipped with a new Mercedes Sprinter. It offers driving training for people with disabilities with a total of five adapted vehicles and their trained driving instructors.
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Children's book series aims to write new chapter for Para sports in Argentina
Argentine journalist Maximiliano Nóbili has already published several books about para-athletes. In the series titled Somos deportistas – "We are athletes" – readers can learn the stories behind some of Argentina's greatest para-athletes. The goal is to improve knowledge about para-sports in this country.
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Employment of people with disabilities reached new levels in 2022, outperforming their peers without disabilities
According to a special 2022 edition of National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE), published by the Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire's Institute on Disability (UNH-IOD) and based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average monthly employment rate increased in 2022 for people with disabilities.
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European Parliament pushes for EU-wide minimum income rules that protect persons with disabilities
A report calls on the European Commission to present a proposal for an adequate minimum income in the European Union. In this report there are important considerations on the subject of disability. The European Disability Forum strongly supports the campaign of the Social Platform on this topic.
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Easier through everyday life – with the new Ottobock Quickchange Adapter
The company Ottobock has launched the Quickchange Adapter 4R11, which allows amputees to independently detach and reattach their prosthetic components from the prosthetic socket. The product was developed in close cooperation with users.
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Carrefour steps up its support for people on the autism spectrum
Carrefour is stepping up its support for people on the autism spectrum with a number of initiatives with for example store maps on the bars of its shopping trollies. After "quiet shopping times" were integrated two years ago, this is another important step to make life easier for people with disabilities when shopping.
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THERA-Trainer is expanding its portfolio with a unique training device for cognitive-motor training
The new THERA-Trainer senso is a highly efficient training device for improving mental and physical performance and reducing the risk of falls. Numerous scientifically validated training programs are available for selection. Intelligent algorithms automatically adapt the games to the individual performance capacity.
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Funke Medical GmbH expands product range with an arthrodesis seat cushion
With the new product ARTHROSEAT©, Funke Medical adds an orthopedic seating system to its portfolio. This arthrodesis seat cushion relieves hip and knee joints when sitting, alleviates pain and corrects incorrect posture.
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Hard work made easy: exoskeletons for industry and logistics
The company Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA continues its focus on ergonomic workplaces. Highlights include the latest Ottobock BackX and Ottobock Shoulder exoskeletons, which support people in industries such as logistics, retail, automotive and aviation.
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3D-printed insoles measure sole pressure directly in the shoe
Researchers from ETH Zurich, Empa and EPFL used 3D printing to produce a customised insole with integrated pressure sensors that can measure the pressure on the sole of the foot directly in the shoe during various activities.
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PARAVAN delivers vehicles for people with disabilities to car rental company Avis
PARAVAN GmbH delivers vehicles for people with disabilities to the Avis car rental company. A total of 20 new VW Caddy 5 Maxi will leave the yard of the PARAVAN mobility park in Aichelau by the end of March and begin their journey to Avis rental stations throughout Germany.
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Assistive tech project to enhance prosthetic sockets and speed-up rehabilitation for amputees
With a new technique for people who need prostheses after amputations, the University of Bath is developing a technology that allows patients and their families to photograph the remaining stump. The aim is to replicate the results clinicians in specialist clinics can achieve with high-end 3D scanners, but remotely and at a fraction of the cost.
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ReWalk exoskeleton receives FDA clearance for stairs and curbs
ReWalk, a leading provider of innovative technologies that enable mobility and wellness in rehabilitation and daily life for individuals with neurological conditions, announced that its innovative ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton technology has received clearance from the FDA for use on stairs and curbs in the US, making it the only personal exoskeleton to receive FDA clearance for this indication.
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Neural prosthesis uses brain activity to decode speech
Researchers from HSE University and the Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry have developed a machine learning model that can predict the word about to be uttered by a subject based on their neural activity recorded with a small set of minimally invasive electrodes.
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Ottobock unveils the patient care of the future
On 20 February, the global healthtech company Ottobock opened the doors to its most state-of-the-art and future-oriented clinic to date. Located in the newly developed Sartorius Quarter in the German city of Göttingen, the clinic will provide care for patients across the country and worldwide.
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Reintegration into working life: Operating a wheel loader via joystick
Alexander Klems has been driving wheel loaders for 21 years. In 2019, everything was going to be different. He got injured. He could no longer operate the accelerator pedal of his Hitachi ZW 330 wheel loader, which he almost always has to step on when loading construction materials. Another solution was needed, which was found at PARAVAN thanks to the Space Drive drive-by-wire system.
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Kinova: new dynamic arm support systems
Kinova, a leading global provider of robotic solutions for people with disabilities, is adding two dynamic arm support systems to its portfolio. With the Gowing² and the Dowing² from Dutch manufacturer Focal Meditech, Kinova completes the supply chain for people who have limited arm function due to a disease or accident.
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Ottobock and MEDIAN combine high-tech prosthetics with specialised treatment for transfemoral amputees
Following the positive vote of the ethics committee of the State Medical Association of Hesse, a multi-centre study launched in January 2023 in several MEDIAN hospitals, in which amputees receive a special prosthesis from Ottobock. The research project is intended to show how modern rehabilitation with longer stays and optimal prosthetics can improve the treatment situation for amputees in Germany
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