Output details
12 - Aeronautical, Mechanical, Chemical and Manufacturing Engineering
University of Leeds
An Instrumented Walking-Aid to Assess and Retrain Gait
Developed by a multidisciplinary team of engineers, therapists and clinicians, with strong engagement from an NHS patient user group throughout, the instrumented Walking Aid (iWA) readily gained user acceptance in clinical trials. This paper in a leading international journal, showed for the first time how the iWA precisely quantified key usage metrics required by therapists to improve rehabilitation and monitor adherence to prescription. This enabled trials with a range of patient groups and clinical teams (including amputees) which underpinned our group’s success in attracting funds for smart orthoses (EPSRC-EP/K020463/1) and ultimately the EPSRC National Facility for Innovative Robotic Systems (http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2013/Pages/85million.aspx).