MOVIA Robotics founer and chief scientist Tim Gifford with some of the company’s robots. | Credit: MOVIA Robotics

Movia Robotics this week launched its TheraPal line of digital health aides for autism spectrum disorder and other intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Bristol, Connecticut-based Movia Robotics released its TheraPal Progress Tracker, TheraPal Home and TheraPal Clinical assist aides for use in homes and clinician offices. The robotic aides are designed to be used by parents, therapists and other healthcare professionals for the development and learning of individuals with neurodevelopmental or intellectual challenges, according to the company.

Movia’s robot-assisted intervention is a friendly, digital tool that uses applied behavior analysis and other evidence-based methods with gamification techniques to allow children and older individuals to practice a broad range of life skills and confidence-building activities.

The fully-configurable system has modules for cognitive training, communication training, practice and educational learning. It assists the individuals in understanding and practicing basic social skills like making eye contact, building confidence, engaging in conversation and other intellectual skills like reading comprehension, basic math and auditory processing learning. The robot-assisted intervention sends data to healthcare professionals who can adjust professional therapies as needed.

“By using robots that engage and interact with kids, we are able to get kids with autism to respond more readily,” Timothy Gifford, founder of Movia Robotics, has said about the technology. “Robots seem friendlier, less judgmental than human beings; they seem safer, so the children are able to explore more, develop their confidence and have more control all while learning skills to help them be successful in their daily lives.”

Movia Robotics said that its TheraPal product line assists neuro-diverse children with an individualized treatment plan. Its TheraPal Progress Tracker is a medical device data system that is used as an assist tool for homecare individuals and clinicians.

“We are focused on showing how robotics can improve the lives of individuals with autism and other special needs, and the launch of our TheraPal is the first step in our commitment to FDA digital health certification,” CEO Jean-Pierre Bolat said.

Editor’s Note: This article was republished from sister publication Medical Design & Outsourcing.

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MyoPro is a powered arm and hand orthosis designed to restore function to the wearer’s paralyzed or weakened upper extremities. | Credit: Myomo

Myomo (NYSE:MYO) posted second-quarter results this week that beat the overall consensus on Wall Street. The Boston-based medical robotics company, which makes the MyoPro powered arm braces, reported losses of $2.6 million, or $0.46 per share, on sales of $3.1 million for the three months ended June 30, for a sales growth of 261.56% compared with Q2 2020.

Myomo recognized revenue on 80 units in the second quarter of 2021, an increase of 233% compared with the second quarter of 2020. Year-to-date revenue of $5.4 million was up 191% compared with the same period a year ago

Earnings per share were down $0.46, $0.14 ahead of The Street, where analysts were looking for sales of $2.1 million.

“We are pleased to be reporting sustained momentum with our efforts to expand the number of individuals who receive a MyoPro through our direct-to-consumer marketing and our own clinical services channel,” CEO Paul Gudonis said in a news release. “A growing number of physicians are prescribing the MyoPro for their patients, and we obtained a record number of insurance authorizations and orders during the second quarter. We are also experiencing an acceleration of the revenue cycle as a growing number of units are regularly reimbursed by certain insurance plans.”

Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter of 2021 was negative $2.2 million, compared with negative $2.7 million for the second quarter of 2020. Adjusted EBITDA for the first six months of 2021 was negative $4.9 million, compared with negative $6.0 million for the same period a year ago.

“We expect to deliver another solid quarter of year-over-year revenue growth in the third quarter. Our plan is to build upon the successful strategies we implemented during the first half of the year, in particular increased direct-to-patient marketing. In addition, we will continue to focus on the direct billing channel as we look forward to a strong finish to 2021,” Gudonis said.

Editor’s Note: This article was first published by sister website MassDevice.

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Crouch gait occurs when there is an excessive bending of the knees while walking. It is a common condition in children with cerebral palsy. The NIH reports that even with conventional treatments, it can develop into the degeneration of walking function and eventually the loss of walking ability in about half of adults with the disorder.

NIH Clinical Center researchers tested a prototype of the exoskeleton to determine if the motors were safe and effective for reducing crouch gait and evaluate its effects on voluntary muscle activity. The exoskeleton offers powered knee extension assistance at the key point while walking.

Get the full story on our sister site, Medical Design & Outsourcing.

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A soft pop-up robot arm performs tissue counter-traction during an ex-vivo test on a porcine stomach. [Image courtesy of Harvard University]

Flexible endoscopes fit through narrow passages to reach difficult parts of the body. Once they reach their target, the devices need rigid surgical tools to be able to manipulate or remove tissues.

Researchers from Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) developed this robotic arm using a manufacturing paradigm that involves pop-up fabrication and soft lithography. The robotic arm lies flat on an endoscope until it reaches a certain location where it pops up to help in surgical procedures.

Get the full story on our sister site, Medical Design & Outsourcing.

The post Soft, water-powered robot makes endoscopic surgery easier appeared first on The Robot Report.

Physicians at Brigham and Women’s Hospital perform a biopsy using WPI’s robot. [Image from Worcester Polytechnic Institute]

PracticePoint, with $17 million in initial funding, will focus on creating smart and secure medical devices that can interact with the physical world and improve patient-centric care.

“Technology is changing medicine, and PracticePoint is designed to help ensure our Commonwealth stays on the cutting edge of this important field to advance economic prosperity, but, more important, to advance health in our communities,” said WPI president Laurie Leshin, in a press release. “When we bring together creative engineers, scientists, clinicians, companies and entrepreneurs to work together in a novel setting like PracticePoint, I believe the results will be extraordinary.”

Get the full story on our sister site, Medical Design & Outsourcing.

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[Image from unsplash.com]

1. Second Sight enters South Korea market

Second Sight announced in a July 5 press release that it has entered the market in South Korea with the implantation of two patients with its Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System in Seoul. The implants were made possible by the country’s distribution partner Kisantech Co.

2. K2M touts Japan distribution deal with Mitsubishi

K2M signed a new, long-term exclusive agreement with Mitsubishi to distribute its spinal technologies in Japan, according to a July 10 press release. The agreement names Japan Medicalnext as the exclusive distributor of K2M’s spine products in Japan, and the terms of the agreement extend the partnership for seven years.

3. Hill-Rom launches safety surgical instruments line

Hill-Rom announced in a July 17 press release that it is launching a new line of safety surgical instruments that include the Bard Parker SafeSwitch disposable scalpel handle and scalpel handle cover and the new Bard Parker blade remover. The products are designed to help surgeons and their teams prevent injuries that can happen at all times during a procedure. The Bard Parker SafeSwitch disposable scalpel handles give surgeons the ability to safely retract, pass and disarm blades in one step and with one hand. The blade remover allows surgeons to remove up to five contaminated blades per remover without having to touch the blade.

4. ApiFix inks Spanish distribution deal

ApiFix announced that it has signed an exclusive distribution deal in Spain with Acuna-Fombona, according to a July 18 press release. ApiFix develops a minimally-invasive, non-fusion spinal implant system that results in short procedure and recovery times while maintaining spine flexibility.

5. Reha Technology gets 510(k) clearance for electrostim with rehab robot

Reha Technology announced in a July 18 press release that it is going to begin to offer the newly FDA-approved integrated Functional Electronic Stimulation (FES) for their G-EO System Evolution robotic gait trainer. FES with the G-EO System has previously shown success in Europe and Asia and the company plans to broaden the adoption of the FES technology in the U.S. market to give therapists other treatment options for patients.

6. Alpha Tau Medical claims second funding round

Alpha Tau Medical announced that it has raised 20% more capital than it originally planned for its Alpha DaRT cancer treatment, according to a July 18 press release. The company plans to use the funding to further develop the treatment as a highly potent and conformal treatment for 11 different types of tumors. In its first clinical study, the Alpha DaRT showed that it could effectively destroy solid tumors with no adverse effects. The treatment was performed under local anesthesia and did not need special shielding or capital equipment. The treatment took 60 minutes.

7. Sanuwave signs Indonesia distribution deal

Sanuwave Health announced in a July 20 press release that Alat Medika Indonesia will be its distributor for its dermaPACE and the liaison for clinical trials participation for Sanuwave’s wound care product in Indonesia. The company expects revenue to rise to over $M over the next three years because of the distribution deal.

Here’s what we missed last week.

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[Image from Ben-Gurion University]

The tiny, swallowable robot, deemed SAW (single actuator wave-like robot), moves in a wave motion and is able to move through the environment of the small intestine.

“The external shape of the robot is a 2D projection of a rotating helix,” said David Zarrouk, one of the robot’s inventors and head of the Bio-Inspired and Medical Robotics Lab at BGU, in a press release. “We can simply reverse the direction by reversing the direction of the rotating motor.”

Get the full story on our sister site, Medical Design & Outsourcing.

The post This snake-like robot could be used for colonoscopies appeared first on The Robot Report.

[Image from unsplash.com]

From robots that locate veins and draw blood to a robotic drill that drills into the skin 50 times faster than standard procedures, here are 6 surgical robots that are innovating surgery and healthcare.

Next >>

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[Image from Amy Leonard on Flickr]

While we are moving toward less invasive methods like electrode-filled caps on the head, there are still more invasive implants that are benefiting those who suffered from a stroke or a serious spinal cord injury.

From mind-controlled exoskeletons to robots reading your mind, here are 6 brain-controlled devices that are moving robotic arms and helping people become mobile again.

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The post 6 brain-controlled devices helping people regain movement appeared first on The Robot Report.

[Image from University of Delaware]

They have shown the ability to regrow bones and illuminate when exposed to certain chemicals on the skin. Recently, researchers even built a robot out of hydrogels.

Here are 6 ways hydrogels have recently permeated medicine.

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[Image from unsplash.com]

Here are 7 medtech stories we missed this week but thought were still worth mentioning:

1. Corindus touts first Asian use of next-generation robot

Corindus Vascular Robotics announced in a March 31 press release that robot-assisted PCI procedures were performed for the first time in Asia using the CorPath GRX system. The procedures were performed at Fu Wai Hospital. This is the first time the system has been used outside of the U.S. CorPath GRX enhances the precision and workflow of the current CorPath system and extends the capabilities and procedures that can be robot-assisted.

2. Endologix launches stent graft study

Endologix has announced that the first patients of its Expanding Patient Applicability with Polymer Sealing Ovation Alto Stent Graft (ELEVATE) IDE clinical study have been treated, according to a March 31 press release. The purpose of the clinical trial is to test the efficiency and safety of the Ovation alto abdominal stent graft system that repairs infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms. The clinical trials will have 75 participants across 12 centers in the U.S.

3. NeoSurgical inks Europe distribution deal for Neoclose

NeoSurgical announced in a March 29 press release that it has signed a distribution deal with a global partner to commercialize the Neoclose in Europe. Neoclose helps surgeons close port site defects up to 3 cm after laparoscopic abdominal surgery. It uses bioabsorbable anchors and a Vector-X closure to help change port site closure.

4. Bodycad gets FDA 510(k) clearance for unicompartmental knee system

Bodycad has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its personalized Unicompartmental Knee System, according to a March 29 press release. Bodycad says it is the first Canadian company to receive FDA clearance for a joint reconstruction implant system. The Unicompartmental Knee System is designed to optimize personalized knee restoration of a patient’s unique anatomical features and kinetics. It uses 3D rendering of medical images of the patient’s anatomy.

5. Providence Medical announces 510(k) clearance and new executive management team

Providence Medical Technology received FDA 510(k) clearance for its cervical fusion device and gained two new leaders on its commercial leadership team, according to a March 29 press release. Scott Lynch is the new lead of global marketing while Michael Scott is assuming international leadership. Provience also received 510(k) clearance for its standalone use of the Cavux Cervical Cage-L system and received approval for its Ally facet screws. The Cavux Cervical Cage-L system is made of medical grade titanium and available in a variety of sizes. The Ally facet screws give stabilization as an adjunct to spinal fusion.

6. TissueTech touts Amniox study

TissueTech announced the results of its Amniox Clarix Flo for plantar fasciitis study in a March 30 press release. The study showed the benefits of the application of Amniox’s cryopreserved human umbilical cord tissue for the treatment of patients with plantar fasciitis. The study included 43 patients who received Clarix Flo injections and were monitored for 18 weeks. The results showed that pain was significantly decreased from the baseline and there was an overall functionality recovery.

7. NeoTract touts 5-year pivotal data for UroLift prostate device

NeoTract announced its 5-year follow-up data from its randomized Lift IDE study that evaluated the safety and effectiveness of the company’s UroLift system, according to a March 27 press release. The system was tested in patients who have symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia and showed that the treatment provided a highly tolerable, minimally invasive procedural experience; rapid reduction of symptoms after the procedure while preserving sexual function and a higher quality of life.

Here’s what we missed last week.

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A new system from CSAIL uses EEG brain signals to detect if a person notices robots making a mistake. [Photo courtesy Jason Dorfman/MIT CSAIL]

The system uses an electroencephalography (EEG) monitor to record brain activity that the system can detect when the user notices that there was an error in a robot’s object-sorting task. The machine-learning algorithms allow the system to sort brain waves in 10 to 30 milliseconds.

“Imagine being able to instantaneously tell a robot to do a certain action, without needing to type a command, push a button or even say a word,” Daniela Rus, CSAIL director and the paper’s senior author, said in a news release. “A streamlined approach like that would improve our abilities to supervise factory robots, driverless cars and other technologies we haven’t even invented yet.”

Get the full story on our sister site, Medical Design & Outsourcing.

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[Image courtesy of Michela on Flickr, per Creative Commons 2.0 license]

The statistics terrify. About 610,000 Americans die of heart disease per year, and an additional 735,000 Americans suffer from a heart attack. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking are some of the top risk factors for heart disease, and 47% of Americans have at least one of these risk factors, according to the CDC.

About 1 in every 6 healthcare dollars is spent on cardiovascular disease, according to the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. A recent RTI International study projected that cardiovascular disease will be the most expensive and common killer by 2035 if it continues to go unchecked. The American Heart Association supported study said that the number of people in the U.S. affected by cardiovascular disease will rise to 131.2 million and the healthcare costs are expected to almost double to $1.1 trillion from the 2016 average of $555B.

Since the prevalence of cardiovascular and heart-related diseases is expected to rise significantly, the interventional cardiology devices market is expected to grow, too. Grand View Research predicts it will be valued at more than $26 billion by 2020, while Market and Markets predicts it will be more than $31 billion by 2021. (The market was valued at $21.83B in 2016, with a consumer annual growth rate of 7.1%, according to Markets and Markets.)

There is good news, though: Recent months have seen a slew of major research advances related to new cardio devices and diagnostics, tissue engineering and the overall understanding of heart disease and its treatment.

Here are 9 innovations and recent breakthroughs you should know:

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“Hydrogels are soft, wet, biocompatible, and can form more friendly interfaces with human organs,” says Xuanhe Zhao, associate professor of mechanical engineering and civil and environmental engineering at MIT. [Photo courtesy of Hyunwoo Yuk/MIT Soft Active Materials Lab]

Tough, rubbery and mostly water, these robots can perform an array of tasks including kicking a ball or grabbing and releasing live fish.

The transparent robots move by having water pump in and out of them and consist of an assortment of hollow, hydrogel structures that are connected to rubber tubes. When the robots fill with water, the hydrogel structures inflate and the robot can bend and stretch.

Xuanhe Zhao, associate professor of mechanical engineering and civil and environmental engineering at MIT, led the group to create this robot with hopes of incorporating it into medical applications in the future.

Get the full story on our sister site, Medical Design & Outsourcing.

The post MIT creates gentle robot that works using water appeared first on The Robot Report.

[Image from the Wyss Institute]

The researchers previously showed that a soft robotic exosuit could lower energy expenditures in healthy people who need to carry things on their backs, but the new research shows that it can also decrease metabolic rates through exosuit assistance.

The research team offboarded the actuation, electronics and battery units from the exosuit in order to specifically calculate how the exosuit impacted a user’s joints. All that was left was the light wearable textiles and pulling cables of the exosuit.

Get the full story on our sister site, Medical Design & Outsourcing.

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