Personalized neck brace optimized for manual or motorized dynamic range of motion

This technology is a neck brace that provides patient-controlled support necessary for muscular training, movement tracking, and rehabilitation while maintaining a natural range of motion.

Unmet Need: Neck brace allowing for independent or motor-augmented natural range of motion

Patients with neurodegenerative diseases, such as ALS, are often unable to support their own head and neck, resulting in a significant decrease in mobility and quality of life. Current neck braces allow for sufficient support, but their rigidity limits the range of motion and they cannot automatically move the head/neck in response to input signals such as eye movements. Providing active motion control in a neck brace can aid in rehabilitation and strengthening of muscular strength to improve mobility and quality of life.

The Technology: Customizable neck brace for independent or assisted natural motions

This technology is a neck brace that utilizes elastic elements to provide passive support, coupled with multiple actuators to actively control motion. The combination of these two strategies provides continuous neck support while still enabling smooth, natural motion. Patient neck biomechanics are analyzed to determine optimal positioning for the customizable actuators and provide a personalized design. These neck braces incorporate sensors to measure neck movements for diagnostic purposes as well as motors responsive to inputs from a joystick or an eye tracker for assisted head and neck movements.

This technology has been validated on ALS patients and healthy volunteers.

Applications:

• Passive support for patients with a head or neck injury
• Active support to facilitate rehabilitation in patients with neurodegenerative diseases
• Rehabilitation in any patient with damaged or low neck muscle function
• Monitoring of patient neck mechanics over time
• Assisted, eye motion-controlled head and neck movements for patients unable to move on their own

Advantages:

• Combines both passive and active support
• Can be used by patients with any type of head or neck injury
• Adjustable, personalized design
• Responsive to eye movements
• Unrestricted, natural range of motion

Lead Inventor:

Sunil Agrawal, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Status

Related Publications:

• Zhang H, Albee K, Agrawal SK. “A spring-loaded compliant neck brace with adjustable supports” Mech Mach Theory. 2018; 125: 34-44.

• Zhang H, Agrawal SK. “An active neck brace controlled by a joystick to assist head motion” IEEE Robot Autom Lett. 2018; 3(1): 37-43.

• Zhang H, Agrawal SK. “Kinematic design of a dynamic brace for measurement of head/neck motion” IEEE Robot Autom Lett. 2017; 2(3): 1428-1435.

Tech Ventures Reference:

• IR CU16167

• Licensing Contact: Dovina Qu