MadonnaRehab
ICARE da Vinci Innovation Award nomination Relearning to walk and staying physically active are important rehabilitation goals for people with weakness, numbness, balance problems and/or those recovering from a disabling injury or illness. Expensive robotic gait devices can help accelerate a person's ability to walk and build conditioning, but at a cost of $300,000 or more, these devices are not readily available outside of a specialized rehabilitation hospital.
People of all abilities should have access to affordable technology that provides meaningful and measurable benefits to gait improvement and cardiovascular health. This lack of available therapeutic equipment can lead to other chronic conditions, such as diabetes or metabolic syndrome. Physical activity is as good for the mind and spirit as it is for the body, helping prevent further declines associated with an inactive lifestyle.
Led by renowned gait specialist Dr. Judith Burnfield, researchers at the Institute for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska, developed a new therapeutic elliptical trainer for people of all abilities, even those with extremely limited mobility.
The device, called the Intelligently Controlled Assistive Rehabilitation Elliptical, or "ICARE" system, is based on ergonomic and biomechanical analyses of 130 volunteer subjects with and without disabilities. It provides customized propulsion to clients so it is easy to begin and maintain exercise on the elliptical. The motorized control has a sensor that automatically adjusts the level of support depending on the individual's needs during exercise.
Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital as partnered with SportsArt Fitness to manufacture and distribute the ICARE so it can be available to hospitals for inpatient and outpatient treatment, health clinics, fitness centers and even home use around the world.
