| Using
Roamer-Too with children with cerebral palsy |
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| In
this article AnthroTronix explain the innovations
they are developing using Roamer-Too with
their own technology to reach children with
specific difficulties. |
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| AnthroTronix
is a research and development company in Silver
Spring, MD. We specialize in advanced computer
human interaction for a variety of industries.
We currently have a project that focuses on
empowering children with disabilities in physical
therapy. The project merges physical therapy
exercises within the context of educational
and fun activities. |
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| AnthroTronix
has developed technology that is centered
around CosmoBot, a child-friendly robot controlled
by various interfaces adapted to individual
needs, regardless of physical limitations.
The child controls the robot via gestures.
Gestures may include reaching for a button,
operating a joystick, or activating wearable
sensors through body movement. We met Dave
Catlin from Valiant Technology at a conference
and quickly realized the many synergies between
our companies. We will use RoamerToo as a
base for our CosmoBot to enhance our work
to date. We have created a shell that will
be placed on the Roamer Too, much like the
disguises that Valiant offers. |
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| Our objectives
for this project are to develop robot based
content to target upper extremity movement
therapy goals and evaluate the clinical efficacy
of the CosmoBot Robotics System as a therapy
intervention for children diagnosed with cerebral
palsy, brain injury, and stroke. Cerebral
palsy is the most prevalent and one of the
three most common physical impairment for
children of ages 17 and under, with a prevalence
of 2.6% and an incidence of 43/100,000 children
per year. The incidence of brain injury among
school aged children has been estimated by
the CDC as 90 per 100,000 resulting in the
addition of 60,000 children with new brain
injuries annually. The incidence of stroke
in neonatal children (<1 months of age)
has been estimated by the CDC as 1:4000 and
for children from 2 months to 18 years as
14.5:100,000 |
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| The CosmoBot
system allows the child to interact with her
environment, giving the child a sense of control.
In addition, the robot imitates movements,
providing feedback and motivation for learning.
The proposed project is to develop specific
robot-based activities to maximize the CosmoBot
system’s effectiveness in targeting
therapy goals and motivating children with
neurological impairments. |
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|
 |
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| The CosmoBot system allows
the child to interact with her environment,
giving the child a sense of control. In addition,
the robot imitates movements, providing feedback
and motivation for learning. The proposed
project is to develop specific robot-based
activities to maximize the CosmoBot system’s
effectiveness in targeting therapy goals and
motivating children with neurological impairments.
|
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| Specific Aim 1 is to design
and develop the robot-based activities in
software, targeting therapy goals for children
with neurological impairments, and integrating
the software into the system’s already-existing
software architecture. We will adapt activities
currently developed for RoamerToo as well
as create new activities. Specific Aim 2 is
to evaluate CosmoBot’s effectiveness
as an intervention tool and assessing functional
outcomes. Specific Aim 2 will be carried out
with 20 subjects, ages 3-10, diagnosed with
cerebral palsy, brain injury, or stroke and
receiving outpatient therapy. We are currently
working with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester,
MN as our clinical partner. |
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| A blinded, double cross-over
experimental design will be used. Interventions
will be developed utilizing the CosmoBot system
for a specific therapeutic goal for each child
and will be compared directly to conventional
therapy for the same therapeutic goal. The
metrics for success are whether the CosmoBot
system is just as, or more, effective, in
targeting identified therapy goals and in
engaging young children, and whether the system
is easy for therapists to use and is accepted
by children and parents as a positive component
for therapy. |
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| To see CosmoBot in action
please click here. |
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