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Image: Person wears an exoskeleton for the leg that can support and relieve strain during movements.

Robotic shorts "WalkON" make walking easier and promote mobility

22.11.2024

With “WalkON”, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has developed robotic shorts that support people when walking and jogging by reducing the amount of energy required. The wearable technology, which can increase mobility and quality of life, is intended to benefit older people or people with health problems in particular.
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A woman is wearing wearable headgear, the lumen glasses for people with visual impairments, and walking around at the MEDICA start-up; copyright: beta-web | Messe Düsseldorf

Seeing with AI and automotive technology – .lumen

11.11.2024

.lumen specializes not only in the medical sector, but also in the automotive sector. And the software start-up will be demonstrating how these two areas fit together at MEDICA 2024: they will be presenting their .lumen Glasses in the MEDICA START-UP PARK. This wearable allows people with visual impairments to navigate their surroundings independently - just like a self-driving car.
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Image: Smiling man with blue shirt, short gray hair and beard holding a foot orthosis - Prof. Martin Kohlhase; Copyright: Sarah Jonek/HSBI

Sarah Jonek/HSBI

Diabetic foot syndrome: Help through orthosis with sensors

12.09.2024

A sensor-equipped orthosis is being developed at Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences to improve patient self-management during the treatment of diabetic foot syndrome.
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Image: Person standing at a sink, next to it is a walking aid equipped with a parking aid in the room; Copyright: Steets GmbH

Steets GmbH

STEETS: Mobile and safely on the move in the rehabilitation process

06.08.2024

In the rehabilitation process, it is important to get patients mobile again as safely and effectively as possible. Walking aids are often used to regain mobility, but these are also associated with a risk of injury from tripping or falls due to equipment issues. The STEETS support can make the use of walking aids safer.
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Image: A man jogging looks at his wristwatch and wears a wearable on his other arm

New technologies in sports: from injury prevention to sports management

26.06.2024

Athletes are under great pressure to consistently deliver top performance. Technological aids are increasingly being used to support them in this. Artificial intelligence (AI) in particular shows great potential to change sports in the long term and effectively support athletes.
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Photo: an artificial parrot; Copyright: beta-web | Messe Düsseldorf

AI assistants enhancing patient care

13.05.2024

Chatbots are already integrated into many areas of our daily lives. Could what is already being used for customer inquiries for insurance companies and the like also work in a medical context?
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Image: A person in a white coat walks next to another person wearing an exoskeleton, with only the legs of the two visible

Improving rehabilitation with self-stabilizing exoskeletons

14.03.2024

Exoskeletons offer a versatile tool for rehabilitation by providing assistance and targeted support for individuals with mobility challenges. They facilitate early mobilization, which is crucial to prevent complications associated with prolonged bed rest. By allowing patients to stand and walk with support, exoskeletons contribute to faster recovery and improved overall well-being.
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Image: A woman is holding a hand prosthesis that holds an orange. A sensor is attached to one arm of the woman, the sensor is connected to the prosthesis with a cable; Copyright: Andreas Schmitz/TU Mu

Andreas Schmitz/TU Munich

Hand prostheses: AI enables more intuitive use

05.03.2024

Previous robotic prostheses only respond to their users' movement intentions to a limited extent. A new control method being developed at the TU Munich could help: A network of 128 sensors and the use of artificial intelligence could allow people to control their prosthetic hands more intuitively and naturally.
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Image: A woman with gray hair and sunglasses goes for a walk with a cane. She wears a navigation belt; Copyright: feelSpace

feelSpace

Wearable for the visually impaired: Vibrations lead the way

14.12.2023

The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) have developed a contacting process with which orientation aids - and e-textiles in general - can be produced more economically and conveniently.
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Image: A man with gray curly hair, posing in jeans and a sweatshirt in a passageway; Copyright: Tomáš Belloň / IOCB Prague

Tomáš Belloň / IOCB Prague

Computer model of the ear may help to improve cochlear implants

01.12.2023

Professor Pavel Jungwirth and his colleagues from the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the cochlear implant company MED-EL, based in Austria, have come up with a complete computer model of the ear. It can be used to simulate hearing of mammals including humans from the outer ear all the way to the auditory nerve.
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A man with a beard is interviewed, in the background several 3D printed products; copyright: beta-web | Messe Düsseldorf

3D printing on the assembly line – iFactory 3D GmbH

16.11.2023

3D printing enables the individual production of single pieces and small series at low cost. However, it also has a disadvantage: printing takes a relatively long time and it is not possible to produce several pieces in succession with a single printer. At the MEDICA START-UP PARK at MEDICA 2023, we met a company that automates 3D printing. Find out how in the interview with iFactory 3D GmbH.
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NRW Minister President Hendrik Wüst in conversation with an exhibitor wearing the FRENZ Brainband; copyright: beta-web | Messe Düsseldorf

Precision sensing technology for enhanced sleep quality – Earable

16.11.2023

A good night’s sleep is a personal experience. The FRENZ Brainband by Earable is a wearable driven by AI, designed to cater to your unique sleep requirements. It combines real-time data analysis, intelligent audio content, and cutting-edge technology to ensure users are well-rested. We did not want to miss the chance to talk to Earable about their newest developments.
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A woman interviews a female exhibitor at a stand at the MEDICA medical technology trade fair, with an exoskeleton between them; copyright: beta-web | Messe Düsseldorf

Innovative and accessible exoskeleton development – Project MARCH

15.11.2023

Project MARCH, a student team from TU Delft, is developing exoskeleton technology to improve the lives of people with paraplegia. Through an interdisciplinary approach and a commitment to innovation, they create designs that combine advanced technology with practical functionality. As they came to MEDICA 2023 as an exhibitor, we took the opportunity to interview them.
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Image: Elderly man with a walking aid follows a robot through a hallway; Copyright: TEDIRO

TEDIRO

Rehabilitation: THERY robot accompanies gait training on forearm supports

25.10.2023

It is 1.50 meters tall, weighs 60 kilograms, can reach a maximum speed of 0.8 meters per second and is called THERY. THERY is a mobile robot from the Ilmenau-based company TEDIRO, which enables patients to complete autonomous gait training on forearm supports without the assistance of a therapist.
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Image: Woman doing sports exercises on a mat while looking at a cell phone lying directly in front of the mat; Copyright: EkaterinaPereslavtseva

EkaterinaPereslavtseva

Gamified pelvic floor training: fun motivation for a strong core

10.10.2023

Regular pelvic floor training can help in preventing incontinence, and often in resolving it. However, this requires consistent training over a period of months. It is therefore crucial to provide those affected with a permanently motivating form of training.
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Image: A blue 3d printed wrist splint on a hand; Copyright: Courtesy of Faraz Faruqi and Stefanie Mueller

Courtesy of Faraz Faruqi and Stefanie Mueller

AI-driven tool to personalize 3D-printable models

20.09.2023

MIT researchers developed a generative-AI-driven tool that enables the user to add custom design elements to 3D models without compromising the functionality of the fabricated objects. A designer could utilize this tool, called Style2Fab, to personalize 3D models of objects using only natural language prompts to describe their desired design.
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Image: A man holds a prosthetic leg while a woman is screwing in it; Copyright: Marius Maasewerd, HAWK

Marius Maasewerd, HAWK

Orthobionics degree program qualifies specialists for orthopedics

01.08.2023

Starting from the winter semester of 2023, the Orthobionics program will launch a distinctive bachelor's degree. Geared towards the requirements of the orthopedic technology industry, they will be adept in independently providing care with modern orthoses and prostheses.
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Image: The carrier of the ARM2U team, Kyle Briggs, competing with the prosthesis at a Cybathlon 2023 event; Copyright: BarcelonaTech (UPC)

BarcelonaTech (UPC)

Low-cost robotic arm created by students as an alternative to conventional prostheses

25.05.2023

A low-cost robotic arm created by students as an alternative to conventional prostheses: The ARM2u biomedical engineering team, from the UPC’s Barcelona School of Industrial Engineering (ETSEIB), is working on new functions for their low-cost 3D-printed transradial prosthesis.
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Image: Adolescent girl is wearing sensors on her back for motion tracking; Copyright: microgen

microgen

Soft orthotics: creating the perfect fit with a 3D scanner

08.05.2023

Soft textile orthoses are used in the treatment of certain medical conditions. Making these custom devices by hand is difficult, time-consuming, and susceptible to human error. A research project has developed a digital platform designed to simplify the production of soft orthoses.
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Image: Cornel Amariei, a man with brown hair in a blue shirt, poses for the camera with white high-tech glasses; Copyright: Oana Graur

Oana Graur

Patent: high-tech glasses replace guide dog

07.04.2023

The technology of “the glasses that replace the guide dog” has just been patented in the USA. The European Union patent will follow, and it could well be introduced to the market during the course of next year.
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Image: A smart bandage rests on a gloved finger.; Copyright: Caltech

Caltech

‘Smart’ bandages monitor wounds and provide targeted treatment

03.04.2023

Most of the time, when someone gets a cut, scrape, burn, or other wound, the body takes care of itself and heals on its own. But this is not always the case. Diabetes can interfere with the healing process and create wounds that will not go away and that could become infected and fester.
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Image: An insole is made on a 3D printer; Copyright: Marco Binelli / ETH Zürich

Marco Binelli / ETH Zürich

3D-printed insoles measure sole pressure directly in the shoe

24.03.2023

Researchers at ETH Zurich, Empa and EPFL are developing a 3D-printed insole with integrated sensors that allows the pressure of the sole to be measured in the shoe and thus during any activity.
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Image: A contact lens prototype that is specially designed to prevent contact lens-induced dry eye.; Copyright: Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation

Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation

Contact lenses to treat dry eye syndrome

06.02.2023

A collaborative team from the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) has developed a contact lens prototype that is specifically designed to prevent contact lens-induced dry eye (CLIDE).
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Image: Patient testing a brain-computer interface developed by Charité to control an exoskeleton hand; Copyright: AG Klinische Neurotechnologie, Charité Berlin

AG Klinische Neurotechnologie, Charité Berlin

Controlling neural exoskeletons more precisely with diamond sensors

02.02.2023

In the recently launched NeuroQ lighthouse project, the project partners develop highly sensitive diamond-based quantum sensors that will enable paralyzed people to control neural exoskeletons more precisely.
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