Non-invasive, vibrotactile medical device to restore normal gait for patients suffering from peripheral neuropathy

摘要

Provided is a comfortable and discrete device wearable by a patient to restore balance and gait. The device re-establishes the sensorimotor loop by providing the patient with a secondary signal to healthy nerves around the knee to alert the patient that the patient's heel has just struck the ground. In this regard, the device monitors the patient's leg movements to detect when the patient's heel strikes the ground and sends the secondary signal, i.e., vibrotactile stimulation, in response to the detected heel strike. The central nervous system incorporates the new signal and the motor system responds as if there is not loss of sensation in the foot and returns to its normal gait.