Innovative ideas and technologies to help folks with disabilities

[berkeman]

One of the EMS medical standby shifts that I worked a few years ago was for an "Abilities Expo" at the San Jose Convention Center. It is a series of Expos around the US that bring together vendors who offer aids to handicapped folks and those folks who can benefit from the products. There were a number of wonderful products and aids that I saw as I walked around the Expo, and I'm subscribed to their Facebook page now and get notifications about their upcoming Expos and products often.

I'll post soon about one of the most heartwarming products that I saw at that Expo that I covered, but I got this notification in my FB feed today that I thought was pretty cool. Imagine that you were an avid golfer, and lost the use of your legs because of spinal cord injury or other causes. This is pretty neat, IMO:

https://www.abilities.com/community...Hh5-s-WnCEM4vqG3KA_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw

 

[berkeman]

I'll post soon about one of the most heartwarming products that I saw at that Expo that I covered,

This is the amazing idea and product that just destroyed me when I saw it at the Expo. I'm all dressed up in my medical uniform, ready for anything, and I had to turn away and wipe tears from my eyes when I saw a parent with their disabled child trying this product out. It is a harness that you place on your child and connect to yourself to let you help them experience the feeling of walking on their own. Just destroyed me...

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...ilies-following-worldwide-launch-9213997.html

 

[phinds]

Delightful. Just delightful.

 

[Klystron]

When my granddaughter entered AP Robotics and robotics club, I told her I expect to be wearing an exoskeleton by the time I lost the ability to walk. She would brush water drops off her textbook, studying while Poppa swam laps at our club.

So far, with daily PT I can still walk, sans leg braces post surgery to replace a ruined right knee with a titanium prosthesis. Internal mobility devices, being self-contained, require little user attention after sufficient training and conditioning.

Physical therapy (PT) plays an outsized role with preparing recipient for prostheses before surgery, recovering from surgery and physically adjusting to the device. This thread emphasizes spinal cord involvement where external devices such as that trike look appealing.

[Granddaughter became a professional EMT studying medicine.]

 

[berkeman]

Another wonderful product idea.

https://www.abilities.com/community/tandem-hiker.html

 

[berkeman]

I saw this in my Facebook feed today, and followed it to the manufacturer. I've never seen this before, but what a great idea for helping folks to participate in soccer (football) after losing a lower leg...

https://www.ossur.com/en-us/prosthetics/products/feet

 

[berkeman]

Slightly off the theme of the thread, but still pretty cool, IMO.