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JMIR News: Keeping up with clinical AI

Clinical AI innovations are enhancing healthcare capabilities through competition-driven development, customization, and cost-effectiveness. Modern technologies, such as rehabilitation robotics and AI-powered robots, are personalizing treatment plans to improve recovery rates and reduce healthcare costs.

SourceJMIR Publications·JournalJournal of Medical Internet Research·TypeNews article·DateAug 14, 2026

Muscle radar unlocks potential for future robotic limbs

Researchers at the University of Queensland have developed ultra-wideband radar sensors to measure muscle forces in a non-invasive way. This technology has the potential to improve rehabilitation, injury prevention, and recovery for people with motor neuron disease or aging. The goal is to eventually use real-time sensor data to assist...

SourceUniversity of Queensland·JournalScience Robotics·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 29, 2026

USC robot learns music by ear, opening new possibilities in medicine and therapy

A robotic hand developed at USC can hear a melody once and play it back after just two minutes of self-taught practice on a keyboard. The system, called the Musician Hand, mimics the way the brain and body coordinate fine motor skills through trial and error, offering a new model for machines — and medicine — to approach complex moveme...

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalJournal of The Royal Society Interface·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 27, 2026

Researchers test a two-way brain interface with wearable robotic legs that could one day restore walking and sensation after paralysis

Researchers at USC, Caltech, and UC Irvine have developed a two-way brain interface that allows patients to control wearable robotic legs using their thoughts. The system accurately detected brain signals indicating the intent to walk about 92% of the time and restored walking sensations with about 93% accuracy in an early proof-of-con...

SourceKeck School of Medicine of USC·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 15, 2026

Versatile knee exo for safer lifting

A new knee exoskeleton has been developed to support the quadriceps muscles during lifting tasks, helping workers maintain better posture even when fatigued. The device, which uses a complex algorithm to predict assistance needs, enabled participants to lift faster and with improved posture.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalScience Robotics·DateSep 18, 2024

Texas A&M teams up to advance robotic dexterity

The Human AugmentatioN via Dexterity (HAND) center aims to develop robots capable of enhancing human labor through engineered systems of dexterous robotic hands, AI-powered fine motor skills, and human interface. The center's goal is to make robotic assistance accessible and applicable to a wide range of physical actions.

Portable engine powers artificial muscles in assistive devices

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a lightweight fluidic engine that can power muscle-mimicking soft robots for use in assistive devices. The new engine generates significant force and is untethered to an external power source, making it particularly attractive for improving people's ability to move their upp...

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalAdvanced Intelligent Systems·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 1, 2024

Why can’t robots outrun animals?

An interdisciplinary team of scientists and engineers compared various aspects of running robots with their equivalents in animals, finding that biological components performed poorly compared to fabricated parts. However, animals excel in integrating and controlling these components.

SourceSimon Fraser University·JournalScience Robotics·DateApr 24, 2024

Universal controller could push robotic prostheses, exoskeletons into real-world use

Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a universal approach to controlling robotic exoskeletons that requires no training, calibration, or adjustments. The system uses deep learning to autonomously adjust assistance levels for walking, standing, and climbing stairs, reducing user effort and metabolic expenditure.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology·JournalScience Robotics·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 20, 2024

Robotic exoskeletons and neurorehabilitation for acquired brain injury: Determining the potential for recovery of overground walking

A team of New Jersey researchers reviewed the evidence on robotic exoskeleton devices for individuals with acquired brain injury, laying out a systematic framework for future research. The review highlights the need for comprehensive approaches to evaluate these devices and their role in improving mobility in individuals with acquired ...

SourceKessler Foundation·JournalFrontiers in Neurorobotics·TypeMeta-analysis·DateAug 15, 2023

Advanced universal control system may revolutionize lower limb exoskeleton control and optimize user experience

Researchers developed a new method for controlling lower limb exoskeletons using deep reinforcement learning, enabling more robust and natural walking control. The system has the potential to benefit users with spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and other neurological conditions.

SourceKessler Foundation·JournalJournal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 15, 2023

Skin: An additional tool for the versatile elephant trunk

Researchers found that an elephant's folded skin plays a crucial role in its flexible and strong trunk, enabling it to grasp fragile vegetation and rip apart tree trunks. The study suggests that wrapping soft robotics with a skin-like structure could give machines protection and strength while maintaining flexibility.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateJul 18, 2022

Robotic exoskeleton uses machine learning to help users stand up

Researchers developed a lightweight exoskeleton that uses machine learning to predict user intentions and provide assistance. The system successfully helped participants stand up, demonstrating potential for supporting individuals with mobility impairments.

SourceRIKEN·JournalIEEE Robotics and Automation Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 22, 2022

High-dose gait training with robotic exoskeleton may improve function after acute stroke

Researchers found that high-dose gait training using a robotic exoskeleton can restore functional ambulation in individuals with moderate to severe hemiplegia caused by stroke. The study showed improvements in walking distance, speed, balance, and endurance, with no complications or falls reported.

SourceKessler Foundation·JournalNeuroRehabilitation An International Interdisciplinary Journal·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 3, 2021

Robotic exoskeleton training improves walking in adolescents with acquired brain injury

Researchers have found that gait training using robotic exoskeletons significantly improved motor function in adolescents and young adults with acquired brain injury, including increased loading, longer step length, and faster walking speed. However, further studies are needed to confirm the training effect and optimal dosing protocol.

SourceKessler Foundation·JournalApplied Bionics and Biomechanics·DateDec 14, 2020