Kailas Narendran's Research at MIT Helps People with Disability
Published: Jun 25, 2007
People with spinal cord injuries can now look forward to a better future, thanks to Kailas Narendran, John Mcbean and their award winning idea in the annual MIT $50K Entrepreneurship Competition – 2003. Their electromechanical device, known as the Active Joint Brace, is designed to improve a person’s functional independence by working in tandem with existing muscles. This portable, low-cost and non-invasive device will help people with physical difficulties to easily lift light objects and also assist them with their daily activities.
Kailas, a Research Specialist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and his colleague John McBean, came up with the idea of the Active Joint Brace during a final paper for a robotics class they took at the MIT. The research focused on the development of the technology, its human interface and design principles. In addition, Kailas plans to study the different embodiments of this technology for various body parts and different diseases.
Kailas and Mira Sahney, president of the Boston-based company that has been developing the brace, expects that the machine will be available to the general public by the end of this year or the beginning of 2007. 
Mira added that the launch depends on the funding provided. The company’s next steps include adapting the device for aiding movement of the wrist and hand, in addition to the elbow.
Mira Sahney and Kailas Narendran are the co-founders of myomo (formerly known as Active Joint Brace). The device is expected to get FDA approval certifying the safety of the device within six weeks. The expected price of the device is $6,000 USD.
Source: INDOlink
