A Bionic Leg That Rewires Stroke Victims' Brains 36
waderoush writes "A startup called Tibion in Sunnyvale, CA, has begun selling battery-powered robotic exoskeletons that help stroke victims with one-sided weakness relearn how to stand, sit, walk, and negotiate stairs. The leg isn't a permanent attachment; the company says patients who use the device for 45 minutes a week for four weeks experience significant gains in walking speed that persist and even improve months after the treatment. They believe that the $40,000 device — which includes sensors that respond to subtle signs of user intentions, such a shift in weight — provides feedback that triggers neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to rewire itself to repair damage."
Difference (Score:4, Insightful)
Here is the difference between a journalist writing something and what a scientist says.
Journalist: "Bionic Leg That Rewires Stroke Victims' Brains"
FTA: "And this movement provides proprioceptive feedback that, over time, helps patients’ brains rewire themselves, so that they are eventually able to carry out the motion on their own"
Draw your own conclusions
Re:Difference (Score:0, Insightful)
I think so. The first is sensationalist. The truth is that this "rewires your brain" in the same way a musical instrument, sporting good equipment or Flash game on the internet does.