Richmond, California – Ekso Bionics Holdings Inc. officials announce that the company has been awarded a P20 Exploratory Grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue the development of an exoskeleton prototype for children. This work will be done in collaboration with the pediatric rehabilitation department at the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland and will consist of Ekso Bionics developing a pediatric version of its Ekso GT robotic exoskeleton. Working with UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland allows for the effective integration of advanced robotics into a world-class pediatric rehabilitative practice.
Ekso Bionics is collaborating with Christine Aguilar, MD, medical director, Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine and Robert Haining, MD, Associate Director, Rehabilitation Medicine of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland on suit design and function to be used for children with neurologic disorders that result in gait deficiencies such as spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and cerebral palsy. The suit will be developed for children aged five (approximately 42" tall and 40 lb) to about eight years old(approximately 50" tall and 56 lb). Doctors Aguilar and Haining are also providing input on potential clinical testing and implementation of the suits. Following the development of an effective pediatric prototype, Ekso and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland will discuss a sequential Phase II Grant.
"Our department is very excited to be collaborating with Ekso Bionics," said Aguilar. "We believe the new prototype of exoskeleton will give children who have difficulty moving their legs the ability to walk."
"This NIH grant and partnership with UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland gives us the real opportunity to intervene early in a child's life and potentially help them improve their walking skills and overall quality of life," stated Katie Strausser, PhD and director of research at Ekso Bionics.
Source: Ekso Bionics