The FDA has cleared the self-balancing Atalante exoskeleton for use during stroke rehab — helping stroke survivors stay upright while relearning

First-of-its-kind exoskeleton for stroke rehab cleared by FDA

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2023-01-27 16:30:09

The FDA has cleared the self-balancing Atalante exoskeleton for use during stroke rehab — helping stroke survivors stay upright while relearning how to walk.

Stroke rehab: A stroke occurs when the vessels supplying blood to the brain are blocked or burst. Without blood supply, brain cells begin dying within minutes — that can lead to brain damage that affects a person’s ability to talk, walk, and control their limbs.

Stroke rehab can help survivors recover some or even all of the abilities lost after the event. Usually, rehab starts in a healthcare setting, and it may include gait-training exercises, such as walking with crutches or between parallel bars.

These exercises can help ensure a person is able to safely walk after their stroke — a major factor in quality of life and independence — but if the stroke left them with significant upper body mobility issues, too, they might have trouble using crutches or supportive bars.

Robots to the rescue: The FDA has now cleared Atalante, an exoskeleton developed by French robotics company Wandercraft, for stroke rehab in a medical setting.

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