At Tampa General Rehabilitation Hospital, a robotic device powered by artificial intelligence is used to aid stroke patients in regaining arm movement.
The InMotion arm/hand robotic device from BIONIK is an AI-powered tool that tracks a person’s mobility and movement while playing computer games.
Samantha Rubio, who works as an occupational therapist at TGH’s Rehabilitation Hospital,
Samantha Rubio says:
“The artificial intelligence is learning where the deficits are,”
“So it’s learning how much reach does that patient have? How much coordination does that patient have? When they do reach, is it symmetrical? Is it precise?”
The patient fastens their arm into the apparatus and then engages in computer activities, such as connecting two spots with a line.
Samantha Rubio went on to say:
“The research behind that device is the more repetitions we can get, the more neural pathways we can create,”
In the closing days of March, 42-year-old Shannon Michelle Watkins experienced a stroke that caused her to lose movement in her left arm.
Watkins says:
“I can move it a little bit, but not as much as I used to,”
“But we’re working on that. We’re working to get better.”
She told FOX 13 that she finds rehabbing with the robotic device enjoyable and eagerly awaits her return to work at a traveling carnival.
Watkins continues to say:
“My goal is to do everything I used to do before. To walk out of here and have my life back,”
Rubio adds to say:
“We’ve seen a lot of positive outcomes from this device. We have patients that come in that aren’t using their arm at all, and they’re able to, once they leave here, put on a shirt, feed themselves, brush their teeth: The little things in life we all take for granted,”
Tampa General Hospital’s use of AI in stroke rehabilitation exemplifies the power of technology in transforming healthcare. Integrating AI into stroke rehabilitation programs can enhance patient outcomes, increase access to care, and improve therapy efficiency. As AI advances, it will likely play an increasingly significant role in improving stroke patients’ lives and revolutionizing healthcare.
Source: FOX 13 Tampa Bay
