New Exoskeleton Aids Stroke Recovery

A new arm exoskeleton has been developed in Norway, intended to assist stroke survivors in regaining the use of their arms.

This device detects subtle movements in the arm and shoulder, enhancing them to aid recovery. The creators aim to launch it as a commercial product within the year.

With more individuals surviving strokes and living with related disabilities, the demand for improved therapies and treatments continues to grow.

Vilje Bionics, the company behind this shoulder-mounted exoskeleton, points out that most below-elbow prosthetics target amputees, leaving a gap for those suffering from partial paralysis, like Johanne Marie Hemnes.

In 2017, Hemnes had a brain hemorrhage that led to a stroke, leaving the left side of her body paralyzed. While her rehabilitation concentrated on her leg to regain mobility, her arm received little attention.

“I refer to my arm as Jenny, since it feels detached from me; it doesn’t move as I wish,” she shared in an interview, even considering amputation. “But with this device, it feels like my arm again—not just some foreign appendage.”

The robotic arm supports shoulder, elbow, and hand movements, making it the first of its kind for full-arm assistance. Much of the technology within was created using 3D printing, and founder Saeid Hosseini explains that it operates by interpreting the user’s intention to move.

“You think about moving your arm, and it captures those tiny motions and amplifies them,” he explained. “It picks up residual movement from a weakened arm and enhances it.”

Current Trials

So far, 40 individuals have tested the Vilpower exoskeleton, with hopes of launching it within the next four to six months, starting in Norway.

While rehabilitation applications may be explored later, the company’s present focus is on enabling users with significant disabilities to regain some independence.

According to the World Stroke Organization, one in four people will experience a stroke in their lifetime.

Hemnes has begun to enjoy tasks like chopping vegetables and opening bottles again—the kind of independence that Hosseini aims for users to achieve.