Restoring normal gait: a disruptive assistive technology

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Parkinsons disease is the second most common progressive disorder of the nervous system.**Parkinsons disease symptoms include slowed movements with impaired posture and**balance, freezing of gait (defined as feet glued to the floor) and falls. Every year**approximately 5,500 new cases are diagnosed in Canada, costing more than $30 billion**annually to the Canadian healthcare system. The traditional dopamine therapy and other**alternative technologies (such as enhanced eye glasses or deep brain stimulation) have little**to no effect on improving the walking pattern of individuals with Parkinsons disease or are**invasive and expensive to administer. Therefore, there is a crucial need for novel**technologies to improve gait pattern in individuals with Parkinsons disease. Building on**recent technological advancements of the team, an innovative technology is proposed to**assist individuals with Parkinsons Disease to restore their ability to walk in environments they**find to be challenging, thus improving their independence.