T102: ExoFlex

About

The team has developed a therapy device, resembling a knee brace, that provides resistance and electrical stimulation for people recovering from knee surgery. This device provides resistance, electrical stimulation, and data collection for a cheap, at-home solution for knee recovery. With this device, patients complete guided recovery exercises. This helps them build stronger leg muscles and improve how they can move. This device fills a gap in recovery after surgery, giving people back their ability to move sooner so they can return to their normal lives. The design ensures comfort and effectiveness by copying the knee joint. The device supports many kinds of exercises. Patients can do motionless, moving, or resistance exercises that increase in difficulty over time. These movements help to build muscle after the damage done by surgery. Together, these features create a complete recovery plan that builds strength and keeps the knee joint stable.

Electrical stimulation has been shown to improve early patient recovery very soon after surgery. With our device, electricity is applied to the leg muscles, activating the muscles better during early recovery exercises. This early rehab will speed up healing and recovery. This allows patients to go back to normal life faster.

In addition, the device collects data to inform doctors of recovery progress and allow a change in therapy plans. This data can be used to motivate patients to keep improving. This device can also provide evidence of value for insurance.

This unique combination of resistance, electrical, and data collection features makes the device a flexible tool which improves at-home recovery after knee surgeries. From previous research studies, we know that by using both electricity and resistance we can speed up recovery.