Robotic Jacket Helps Stroke Victims
	Posted 22 Oct 2005 at 03:23 UTC by The Swirling Brain

Researchers at the Osaka University and Activelink Co. in Japan have created a robotic jacket to help stroke victims recover from partial paralysis. The jacket has four sensors to detect muscle movements in the patient's healthy arm and wrist. The jacket analyzes this data and sends compressed air to the affected arm, where eight artificial muscles affixed there expand and contract in the same way as the movement in the healthy arm. Researchers hope repeated therapy will bring back the regular functioning of the damaged limb. The jackets should be on the market in spring 2008, selling for about 250,000 yen (~$2156 USD) each.