Karen J. Nolan, PhD

“We’ve now moved into stroke and brain injury, so we can support the system asymmetrically for a hemipelagic population—individuals who have that asymmetrical weakness.”

A number of neurologic conditions can result in the need for some form of rehabilitation for the patients, including stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI). And while there are existing methods of therapy available, the possibility of improving those methods would be welcomed by those in the field.

At Kessler Foundation, Karen J. Nolan, PhD, senior research scientist, Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research, and colleagues are exploring exactly how the use of dermal skeletons, soft suits, and exoskeletons can help support recovery—first, in spinal cord injury, and now in stroke and TBI, as well as pediatric cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis (MS). For the pediatric population, she detailed that much of the work requires scaled down adult devices.

 spoke with Nolan in an interview. She shared insight into the goal of the work, and how it could improve the recovery process for these patients.

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The senior research scientist in the Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research at Kessler Foundation spoke to the research being done into the functional implementation of exoskeletons in neurorehabilitation.

Karen J. Nolan, PhD: Functional Implementation of Robotics in Neurorehabilitation

“We can really start to understand the robot-human interaction—we start to look at how the robot is affecting human movement, how it helps sequence the limbs, how it can strengthen the lower legs, how it can change muscle firing, how it can change loading patterns…We want to really understand the physics of human movement and how we’re changing patient’s movements.”

Karen J. Nolan, PhD, senior research scientist, Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research, Kessler Foundation, has a background in biomechanics. Attempting to understand the mechanical laws which operate within the movement of humans is what she and colleagues are currently doing in their research.

, Nolan discussed the research she is doing in studying the safety and feasibility of using exoskeletons as an extension of the neurorehabilitation process, essentially allowing patients quicker improvements. To better understand this process, the Center’s staff is studying the ways that the exoskeletons interact with human body parts during use.

She explained that by learning the mechanical implications of the pieces of this process—for example, weight loading during walking&mdash;can allow for the group to produce better robotic parts and, in turn, understand how exactly patient movement is being altered at the core.

The senior research scientist in the Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research at Kessler Foundation shared insight into the work she and her colleagues are doing to try to revolutionize the way exoskeletons can improve neurorehabilitation and gait challenges.

Karen J. Nolan, PhD: Translational Research Into Neurorehabilitation Exoskeletons 

“The problem that you’re dealing with is that you have asymmetrical weakness of the lower extremities…With most of these devices, the specialty of them is that you can provide variable assistance.”

When it comes to patients with stroke, traumatic brain injury, and acquired brain injury, gait problems can become a challenge for physicians to address. Loss of the ability to walk or instability in leg function can be detrimental to a patient’s quality of life.

At the Kessler Foundation, Karen J. Nolan, PhD, senior research scientist, Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research, and colleagues are working toward providing patients a way to address gait issues. Using exoskeletons and dermal skeletons, which can help respectively in providing stability and support for the muscles and the joints.

, Nolan detailed the work that the Kessler Foundation is doing with these devices, as well as some of the advantages that they provide in their software. Their flexible programming, she noted, allows for them to be personalized and used as an extension of the physical therapist.

The senior research scientist in the Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research at Kessler Foundation spoke about using the exoskeleton and dermal skeleton devices in functional recovery for patients who have lost the ability to walk.

Author | Karen J. Nolan, PhD

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Karen J. Nolan, PhD: Functional Implementation of Robotics in Neurorehabilitation

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