Assistive Tech’s Rapid Growth
Between 2024 and 2025, the market value for assistive technologies grew from $2.9 billion to $4.97 billion. This figure is projected to grow to $30.9 billion by 2033. The growth is being driven by an aging population, increasing numbers of disabilities, and technological development. The United States leads the growth in demand, comprising 35 percent of the market, and of this, mobility devices–wheelchairs and walking aids–make up 40 percent. But in addition to mobility assistance, there are some exciting new advancements in products addressing other needs, including sensory assistance–hearing, sight, and even touch–exoskeletons, neural network grafts, and more.
Engineered Neural Networks
Several types of technology have attempted to assist in restoring brain function following a stroke, including stem cell therapies, brain-computer interfaces, and neuromodulation to improve neuron function and behavior. Unfortunately, each of these has come up short in various ways. However, a few years ago, researchers at the University of California, Irvine, created engineered neural networks consisting of lab-grown tissues, which they trained to recognize and decode brain signals.The research team intends that their engineered neural networks will one day be able to communicate with the brain, and will eventually be able to replace damaged tissue. This, in turn, may one day help to restore neural function to the cerebral cortex after a stroke.
A further study shows the promise of engineered neural networks for restoring function after a spinal cord injury. In this study, Chinese researchers engineered a neural network graft that was able to relay a signal in a completely transected canine spinal cord. In addition, no adverse effects, such as autotomy, hyperalgesia, or tetanic spasm were encountered in the Chinese study, supporting not only the efficacy, but also the safety, of the technology. These developments suggest that engineered neural networks could play a significant role in restoring functionality to injured spinal cords.
Advances in Communication Technology
There have also been some exciting developments in assistive technology for communication, which could be life-changing for nonverbal individuals and people with speech-limiting conditions. Current technologies fall into five categories: speech-generating devices, text-to-speech systems, communications boards (such as picture-based systems and alphabet boards) and apps, eye-tracking technology, and brain-computer interfaces.
Eye-tracking technology, such as Tobii’s TD Pilot is designed to help people with ALS/MDN, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, and similar conditions to communicate and use apps. The device both tracks eye movement for app control, and generates speech.
Brain-computer interfaces take communication a step further by attempting to form a bridge between the brain and the outside world. BCI systems process central nervous system signals in real time, and convert them into commands. BCI systems are made up of four components: a signal acquisition unit, a signal processor, a control unit, and an application, and devices range from non-invasive external units to partially invasive, to invasive. Brain-computer interfaces show promise for assisting individuals, such as those with locked-in syndrome, for whom eye-tracking technology would be ineffective. This technology is growing quickly, though still faces several significant obstacles, including technical challenges and the time-consuming nature of user training.
Robotic Limbs and Exoskeletons
Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) is another technology that assists individuals with spinal cord injuries. The problem with this technology, however, is that it’s often not accurate enough to help with fine movements. Assistive robots are often too bulky and power-consuming. However, a team from Rice University and Cleveland State University have brought robotics and FES together to create assistive wearables for upper-limb rehabilitation. This combination proved to be lighter, more accurate, and more efficient than FES alone. It’s hoped that this advancement could one day be used in the development of light assistive exoskeletons for paralyzed individuals.
At this year’s Hannover Messe trade show from March 31 to April 4, the company Ottobock plans to unveil its AI-supercharged exoskeleton, the IX Back Volton. People whose work involves heavy lifting in dynamic environments are prone to musculoskeletal injuries, and the IX Back Volton is aimed at prevention, rather than treatment of these injuries. According to Ottobock, the unit’s built-in AI allows it to adapt to the needs of individual users by adjusting itself to the movement patterns of any given user. Smart sensors mean that only the necessary amount of force is provided, which provides assistance while keeping the user’s muscles active.They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but lightweight devices like this could be worth much more.
Researchers are also designing exoskeletons to improve the design of prosthetics. A team at the University of Michigan, for example, have designed an exoskeleton to measure the mechanical impedance of the knee during complex tasks that mirror real-world situations. This has allowed them to accurately estimate the stiffness and inertia of the knee during movement. It’s hoped that this will improve the performance of future prosthetics.
A Better Cochlear Implant
Cochlear implants are electronic devices that directly stimulate the auditory nerve to improve hearing. A problem of current implants is their rigidity, which can cause damage during implantation. A team from Iowa State University has developed robotic actuators which can precisely deliver flexible hearing aid electrodes into the ear without harming the cochlea. The actuators are made from soft materials with embedded touch sensors. The team hopes that their work will lead not just to better cochlear implants, but to new classes of soft robots that will be able to improve many types of medical interventions for patients.
Organic Actuators for a Deft Touch
Haptic devices aim to recreate the experience of touch in virtual reality. However, while current devices allow users to create and control virtual objects, they can’t generate the full range of sensations that humans encounter in daily life. That may be changing, however. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed new organic actuators that can recreate subtler sensations such as roughness, softness, moisture, and adhesion. These actuators are made from small polymer structures, yet are robust enough for everyday, real-world use. This could have many uses, including improving simulators for surgery and for VR-based rehabilitation.