Devices helps Parkinson's disease patients regain walking rhythm

Jan 19, 2008, 7:11 GMT

Singapore - A portable, battery-powered device has been developed in Singapore to help people suffering from Parkinson's disease regain their walking rhythm, Ngee Ann Polytechnic said on Saturday.

Physiotherapists from Singapore General Hospital worked with a team from the school's mechanical engineering department to create the invention.

Parkinson's is a slow, degenerative disease that deprives sufferers of steady movement, leading to jerky small steps or freezing in narrow spaces, the team said. To take the next step, patients need a cue.

The device, which generates cues telling patients when and how to walk, shoots a red laser beam on the ground, creating a path. Strapped to a belt, it generates different tones, prompting the patients to move their legs. It also vibrates.

Trials at the hospital showed improvements in walking and reduced freezing, the developers said.

Choo Teow Sin, a 70-year-old patient, responds best to the visual cue of the laser beam, his wife told The Straits Times. His gait is also noticeably better and his confidence improved.

The team, hoping to commercialize the invention, said they were driven by the desire to help the rapidly ageing population.