Making Sense, Part B

Before I venture into things like if and how the previously mentioned (see Making Sense, Part A) devices and methods work, the promises they may or may not hold, etc., let's start with some definitions.

Note: What follows is based on stuff I was able to readily grab from the Web. I haven't critically reviewed it or made much effort to make it my own. Ergo you ought to look at these as provisional, i.e., tentative. At best. 

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• Benik vest: a neoprene orthosis that's meant to provide upper trunk support (to help a child remain in a sitting position, for example, for an extended period of time) and proprioceptive input. Available with malleable aluminum stays or moldable thermoplastic panels for additional support and protection. [ www.benik.com ]

• Kinesiology tape (more generally known as elastic therapeutic tape): a cotton strip with an acrylic adhesive used for treating athletic injuries and a variety of physical disorders. For our purposes, the product is used therapeutically to facilitate underused muscles or to limit or encourage a specific motion at a joint.

• TheraSuit. NeuroSuit. PediaSuit: a breathable, soft, dynamic orthosis based on the Adeli Suit. Consists of a vest, shorts, knee pads and specially adapted shoes with hooks and elastic connectors that topographically mirror flexor and extensor muscles, trunk rotators and the lower limbs. The suit works as an elastic frame surrounding the body to hold it in proper physical alignment. It also serves to facilitate or inhibit certain movements, assist with the development of optimal posture, help with or supplement the restoration of proprioception, and provide resistance (to increase the strength of the patient).

• Compression sportswear: form-fitting garments usually worn by athletes. They may be shorts, tights, t-shirts, socks, sleeves or underwear and are often made from a spandex-type material. Among other things, these purportedly reduce muscle movement and vibration, and focus the direction of the muscle.

• SPIO (Stabilizing Pressure Input Orthosis): a dynamic bracing system made of a special Lycra blend material that provides a multi-directional stretch with a strong rebound factor. Uses patented compression ratios and design. SPIO is designed to assist stability and provide feedback through deep pressure and tactile stimulation. Advertised to improve functional movement possibilities, limb and body position sense, and general stability and balance.[ www.spioworks.com ]

• TheraTogs: "a live-in exo-muscular system". Made from a patented, proprietary material with an inner foam layer that grips the skin and underlying soft tissues, and a Velcro-sensitive outer layer to which clinicians can affix elastic strapping, a.k.a., the external muscle of the system. Typically worn under normal clothing, TheraTogs replicates successful manual sensorimotor training techniques and enables the wearer to engage in routine activities with improved joint alignment, all day long. [ www.theratogs.com ]

• Wearable robot: a neuroprosthetic device that will allow paralyzed patients to use a BMI (brain-machine interface) to control movements of a full-body exoskeleton. Motor signals will control actuators distributed across the joints of said exoskeleton. Force and stretch sensors distributed throughout the exoskeleton will generate a continuous stream of artificial touch and proprioceptive feedback signals to inform the patient's brain of the device's performance. As for the details of the silk-thin suit itself, I'm having a hard time finding any. I'll keep my eyes open.

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There. We're makin' progress. Some pictures are probably in order soon.