It has been developed by Marsi Bionics, a technology-based company emerged from the CSIC, with the close collaboration of 15 CSIC researchers and 30 health professionals from four hospitals. The prototype, which is awaiting CE marking prior to its commercialisation, can be used both at home and outdoors, and will allow the integration of children with gait disorders. It will be marketed in the coming months.
The new personal exoskeleton, on the day of its presentation at the CSIC headquarters on 18 February. Image: CSIC.
The first results of Explorer, an ambitious research and development project to create the first set of exoskeletons for domestic use, have been presented. The prototype is a children's exoskeleton for personal use that can be used both at home and outdoors, and will allow the integration of children with gait impairment.
This breakthrough is the result of collaboration between Marsi Bionics, CSIC and four hospitals (Hospital Universitario La Paz, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús and Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón), with the support of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through a programme PERTE for Vanguard Health.
Marsi Bionics had already succeeded in developing, in collaboration with the CSIC, the ATLAS 2030 paediatric exoskeleton, the first of its kind in the world, but exclusively for clinical use. Explorer was born from the demand of the children themselves who asked to have an exoskeleton in their homes. The new exoskeleton makes it possible to take this step and transfer technology to everyday environments, allowing children with reduced mobility to walk at home, at school or in the street.
This was highlighted by Elena García Armada, CEO of Marsi Bionics and one of the most renowned scientists in our country, at the presentation of the prototype. Armada stressed the importance of developing technology with a social impact, but also of making it accessible. “Public support and funding are essential for encouraging innovation and promoting investments that do not sideline potentially world-changing breakthroughs”.
This development has been possible thanks to a total investment of 2.2 million euros from the European Next Generation EU Funds. Marsi Bionics has received 903,313 euros through the CDTI, while the CSIC has received 789,303 euros from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. The Hospitals of the Community of Madrid belonging to SERMAS that have been part of the consortium that has developed the prototype have received €664,072 of these funds.
EXPLORER is an example of the positive impact of European funds on healthcare and the lives of families. It is not just a technological breakthrough, say its developers, but will be a real solution for children with reduced mobility.
The device is still at the prototype stage and is awaiting CE marking, a necessary step before it can be marketed. It has been presented at the CSIC headquarters in Madrid, with the attendance of Raquel Yotti, commissioner of PERTE for Vanguard Health; Eloísa del Pino, president of CSIC; Olga Arroyo, head of the Rehabilitation Service of the Gregorio Marañón University Hospital and president of the Spanish Society of Child Rehabilitation, and Elena García Armada, CEO of Marsi Bionics.
The exoskeleton evolves with the child's own growth, covering an approximate age range from 2 to 17 years
A child walks with the Explorer exoskeleton outdoors. Image: Marsi Bionics
Four motors imitate human muscles
This new personal exoskeleton has four motors that imitate natural muscle function and two modes of operation: a movement intention mode, where the exoskeleton completes the user's force to advance the gait; and an automatic mode, where movement is constant at the selected speed. It also incorporates an automatic seat that transforms the device into an integrated reclining chair, facilitating continuous use and comfort for the child.
The device evolves with the child's own growth, covering an approximate age range from 2 to 17 years. Its use outdoors will favour not only rehabilitation, but also inclusion and participation in daily activities, such as playing in the park, moving around the city or participating in family leisure activities with greater autonomy.
For the development of this exoskeleton, around 30 researchers from the participating hospitals, all of them from the Community of Madrid, have worked closely with the families and Marsi Bionics engineers.
Olga Arroyo, head of the Rehabilitation Service of the Gregorio Marañón University Hospital and president of the Spanish Society of Children's Rehabilitation, said that ‘work has been especially focused on conducting a clinical trial to ensure the safety and efficacy of the device. Almost 50 families have actively participated in sessions, both at home and outdoors. The aim is to bring the latest technologies closer to the child's immediate environment, encouraging their participation’.
The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) has been a fundamental pillar of the project. With a team of 15 researchers from the Centro de Automática y Robótica (CAR-CSIC-UPM), it has contributed its experience in robotics applied to health. It has provided the scientific basis for the development and clinical validation of the device, which will allow it to be marketed in the coming months. This project marks a milestone in the way gait rehabilitation is approached worldwide.