Exosuit

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 9 million people worldwide. Debilitating symptoms include tremors, slowness, and freezing, which occur when someone with Parkinson's suddenly loses the ability to move their feet, often mid-stride, causing stutter-steps and even life-threatening falls.
Finding a solution brought together engineers and rehabilitators to study the gait of volunteers with Parkinson’s. NSF-supported researchers at Boston University Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences and Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have used a soft, wearable robot to help volunteers with Parkinson's walk faster and further without freezing.