DCU Exoskeleton Launch
About the DCU Exoskeleton Programme
The Exoskeleton Programme is physiotherapist led research programme allowing persons with reduced mobility due to neurological disability access a robotic exoskeleton. As part of our research adults and children will complete sessions of supported walking facilitated by a trained handler. We have assembled a team of clinicians and researchers with over fifteen years' experience in the field of neuro-rehabilitation, robotics, and academia.
The Goal of the Exoskeleton Programme
The programme is designed to research the array of benefits that regular walking in an exoskeleton provides for adults and children with spinal cord injury, stroke, cerebral palsy and other neurological conditions. Our aim is to conduct research on the benefits of exoskeleton walking and how best to utilise the exoskeleton to deliver maximum benefits for users. We will provide community dwelling persons with limited mobility access to rehabilitation while they contribute to our growing knowledge in the rapidly developing field of robotics in neuro-rehabilitation. In the future, we predict robotic applications for this population will be commonplace and we aim to establish DCU as a centre of excellence for this.
What we do?
In this video, Clinical Lead Ronan Langan, Professor Kieran Moran and PhD researcher Sonal Baberwal describe how their research is developing our understanding of how patients respond to supported walking in a robotic exoskeleton.
We also hear from programme participant Niamh McCallion, who shares the transformative impact the DCU Exoskeleton Programme has had in her own life.
In 2024, this unique programme was extended to children for the first time, thanks to philanthropic support from Community Foundation Ireland, the Cerebral Palsy Foundation and our anonymous donors.