Behavioral demonstration of a somatosensory neuroprosthesis.

Tactile sensation is critical for effective object manipulation, but current prosthetic upper limbs make no provision for delivering somesthetic feedback to the user. For individuals who require use of prosthetic limbs, this lack of feedback transforms a mundane task into one that requires extreme concentration and effort. Although vibrotactile motors and sensory substitution devices can be used to convey gross sensations, a direct neural interface is required to provide detailed and intuitive sensory feedback.

KineAssist: design and development of a robotic overground gait and balance therapy device.

Background And Purpose: Balance and mobility training consists of activities that carry a high risk for falling. The purpose of this article is to describe a novel robotic system for allowing challenging, yet safe, balance and mobility training in persons at high risk for falls.

Method: With no initial preconceptions of what device we would build, a user-needs analysis led us to focus on increasing the level of challenge to a patient's ability to maintain balance during gait training and also on maintaining direct involvement of a physical therapist (rather than attempting robotic replacement).

[Diagnosis and surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux in children].

Results of observations examination and treatment of 115 children with gastroesophageal reflux aged from 3 days to 14 years are described. Great importance of special methods of examination was shown. Results of using the roentgenological method, fibroesophagogastroscopy with biopsy of the esophagus, manometry and electromyography of the esophagus are presented.