Wandercraft’s latest exoskeleton lets paraplegics walk with a more natural gait

Paris-based Wandercraft has announced that the latest “Atalante” exoskeleton has been updated to make walking more natural during rehabilitation for paraplegic and other patients. We have also obtained a Medical Device Regulation (MDR) certificate in Europe to make medical devices more widely available to patients and medical staff. Finally, with additional funding, we are one step closer to the exoskeleton of the individual.

The last time I saw the first generation exoskeleton of Wandercraft more than four years ago, it has been around for a long time in the field of robotics. But recently, I had the opportunity to see the latest models used by paraplegic patients and chat with them and the team behind Atalanta.

The exoskeleton (or exoskeleton known in the industry) is a personalized, powered “wearable robot” designed to support gait rehabilitation treatment and restore patient mobility. Atalante is Wandercraft’s second-generation exo with more advanced design and features than the original model. It comes with a remote control to operate it and a new app that allows physiotherapists and patients to fine-tune their movements and exercise programs. It uses two sets of removable batteries that can be used continuously.

Thanks to new hardware, fine-tuning the fit, and more intelligent software, the new model is much smaller, more streamlined, and more comfortable for the patient. Now self-balanced, it is easier to manage both the patient and the physiotherapist. Although not yet approved for use alone, Wandercraft has shown a video showing that you can balance yourself even if you push the quilter away. It also provides a “wonder balance” feature that allows for easy “verticalization” to help the patient stand up, as well as a feature that facilitates getting on and off.

The device automatically generates kinematics that can be optimized and adjusted according to each patient’s morphology, and settings allow for custom exercise. The latest feature is “Real Gait” (shown above), which adjusts speed to enable physiological walking. “Custom Gait” allows you to change the pace, stride, and center of gravity, and “Active Gait” allows the user to change the assist power from 0 to 100%. In addition to the new RealGait settings, this feature also includes the “EarlyGait” setting from the first step.

In addition to these features, small changes make Atalanta much more convenient. “We’ve improved the half-turn, so it happens on the fly instead of occupying a lot of space,” Wandercraft CEO Matthieu Massellin told me. “We have redesigned attachments, padding, etc., which allows patients to get out faster, move more comfortably, and walk more in each session. This is rehabilitation and re-education. It means that the benefits of

All that is possible with a large number of sensors and software that can be adjusted on the fly, Wandercraft told me. The device’s “balance” allows for a variety of gait patterns while giving patients and physiotherapists the confidence that the device (still not light at £ 130) will not tip over.

Wandercraft has allowed some patients to use Atalante for rehabilitation purposes, and I’ve seen it work with Arbiha, a paraplegic patient who used it in multiple sessions. .. For safety reasons, the device was suspended from the ceiling and operated by a physiotherapist, but one day we plan to have a version that can be used in the real world without assistance.

It was amazing how easy she could walk during a relatively long one-hour session. Exotherapy offers some distinct benefits, such as cardiovascular / lymphatic system stimulation and training of the arms and other supporting muscles, but goes far beyond that.

“It boosts both my body and my mind,” Arbhia told me. “It gives me aerobic exercise that I couldn’t get otherwise. Standing upright for quite some time also helps my balance as I lose that aspect when I’m not standing. I have a digestive illness and walking therapy also helped stabilize it, which I never expected. “

The ultimate goal of Wandercraft is a personal exoskeleton that can be used as a support device at home or on the street. To that end, the company has just received $ 45 million to fulfill its mission of “mobility for all.” “With the team we have, the funding we have received, and the technology we have developed, we are confident that one day we will be able to put our exo on the streets and in people’s homes. “Masserin said. “But there is still a lot to do.”