The University of Liverpool is a part of the project. Dr Farnaz Nickpour and her team at 'The Inclusionaries Lab' at the university will work with Duchenne UK and Spinal Muscular Atrophy UK (SMA UK) to develop the ‘SMART Suit’ – a first of its kind exoskeleton suit to help disabled teenagers and young people use their arms and upper body.
The SMART Suit is an ambitious and innovative assistive technology design project with the potential to improve quality of life for a wide range of people living with neuromuscular diseases and disabilities. It aims to give people living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) – a progressive muscle-wasting disease which typically affects young boys – and other progressive diseases back their strength, independence and dignity.
Dr Nickpour, director of The Inclusionaries Lab, said: "This is a unique and timely opportunity to address a long-term ‘wicked problem’ in the design and commercialisation of impactful...