ROBOT REHAB.

The article reports that small, lightweight robotic devices are proving to be valuable tools in helping stroke victims regain movement in damaged nerve cells. Mechanical engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), working with physicians at a Veterans Health Administration research facility in Baltimore, have developed a prototype machine, dubbed "Anklebot," that helps stroke victims re-learn ankle movement control so they can walk again. The device monitors, then guides and assists a patient's ankle in repetitive exercises. The $50,000 prototype uses a technology similar to the MIT-Manus, a robotic device the MIT team developed seven years ago to help stroke victims regain arm movement.