Balloon-equipped 'wearable robot' could help stroke survivors

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. A first-of-its-kind, soft, vest-like wearable designed by Harvard researchers could help stroke survivors and people living with ALS regain crucial upper limb movement. The researchers call the device a "wearable robot," which uses inflatable balloons positioned under a patient's arm that bulge and contract based on the desired movement. A combination of machine learning software and a separate physics-based model helps the robot interpret the patient's intended movements and personalize actions accordingly. In testing, the robot was able to correctly identify the user's intended shoulder movement 94.2 percent of the time.