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Hi-tech eyeglasses help MS patients walk
Posted on May 10th 2007 3:00PM by Bethany SandersWhen someone suffering from multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's walks, they may sometimes "freeze" or have difficulty following through with the motion. Health experts have known that patients' brains can be triggered to keep moving by placing an object in front of them, which helps send a new signal to the brain and gets the muscles moving again.
Scientists in Israel have taken that knowledge and turned it into a working piece of high-tech equipment -- eyeglasses. The glasses, or "goggles" project an image of a tiled floor in front of the patient. As the wearer steps forward, the tile floor appears to move under them, sending a signal to the brain to keep moving. In addition, as the user walks, a rhythmic clicking sound is played in their ear. If their movements become staggered, the noise rises in pitch and volume.
Freezing in public can be embarrassing for patients, but also unsafe. The glasses improved walking by 50% for Parkinson patients and 86% for MS patients, and are currently being used in Israel and the U.S.
Scientists in Israel have taken that knowledge and turned it into a working piece of high-tech equipment -- eyeglasses. The glasses, or "goggles" project an image of a tiled floor in front of the patient. As the wearer steps forward, the tile floor appears to move under them, sending a signal to the brain to keep moving. In addition, as the user walks, a rhythmic clicking sound is played in their ear. If their movements become staggered, the noise rises in pitch and volume.
Freezing in public can be embarrassing for patients, but also unsafe. The glasses improved walking by 50% for Parkinson patients and 86% for MS patients, and are currently being used in Israel and the U.S.
