Archive.fm

Idaho Matters

A special robot from the University of Idaho can help people after a stroke

University of Idaho students create a robot to help people who have suffered from a stroke.

Broadcast on:
11 Jul 2022
University of Idaho College of Engineering therapeutic robots used for physical therapy and rehab in Spokane at St. Luke's Rehabilitation Medical Center.
University of Idaho College of Engineering therapeutic robots used for physical therapy and rehab in Spokane at St. Luke's Rehabilitation Medical Center.(Melissa Hartley/University of Idaho Photographic / Photos by Melissa Hartley, University Creative Services.)

According to the World Stroke Organization, 14 million people each year have a stroke which can cause varying degrees of disability.

Paralyzed arms or legs, weakness and movement limitations can greatly reduce the quality of life after a stroke. The damage from a stroke differs from person to person, so identifying that damage is crucial to targeting individual therapy that will best help each patient.

A group of University of Idaho students have been working on building robots to find out what's wrong and help stroke survivors regain the mobility they have lost.

Associate Professor in U of I's Department of Mechanical Engineering, Joel Perry and Chris Bitikofer, who is completing his doctorate in mechanical engineering this summer joined Idaho Matters to tell us more.