Stefan Bircher, PhD, Executive Vice President of Hocoma, Inc., illustrates several of the products offered by his company during Working 2 Walk 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. Hocoma specializes in providing assistive technology devices to help restore function after spinal cord injury and other neurological impairments.
A machine similar to the Lokomat which he describes was a critical part of my being able to walk again. I was put on it for several weeks during rehab--first time fell on my face, so wore a steel mask after that! Wonderful opportunity that I had to learn to use what I couldn't feel, training brain as much as body. I would have benefited from the ArmeoSpring as well, but it hadn't been invented yet... The principles of intensity of physical participation and motivation to be as active as possible are so basic to our recovery. He understands us well, for an AB!