The Great NetXperiment!

A step forward for rehab patients

By CYNTHIA McCORMICK

STAFF WRITER
SANDWICH - Wireless technology makes it easier for the brain to communicate with muscles ,a new neuroprosthetic device, the NESS L300, developed by Bioness Inc. of California.

Robert Waldron of Marstons Mills also praised the device. The 49-year-old multiple sclerosis patient was having trouble walking with a cane and was considering a walker when the staff at RHCI asked him to give the L300 a try.

Now he keeps his hip lower and swings his leg less as he walks, which helps him conserve his energy - a crucial goal for any MS patient. It also makes walking safer.'’I took 24 stitches in the head,'’ after tripping Memorial Day of 2005, Waldron said. The L300 helps him feel ‘’much more secure and balanced.’

Before Bioness incorporated wireless technology into the new device,
electrically stimulating malfunctioning nerves and muscles was a
cumbersome experience. Henry had been using Functional Electrical
Stimulation (FES) as part of his therapy, but it wasn’t portable or
easy to use. The electrodes on his legs had to be perfectly placed, and
they were attached to wires that limited his range of motion to two to
three feet, said his mother, Georgann Ramage.

With the L300, a technician places the electrodes inside the portable cuff, which is controlled with a small remote box.

A step forward for rehab patients (February 2, 2007)

MS Stuff multiple sclerosis rehab