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'WeHab' System Helps Stroke Patients During Physical Rehabilitation

Strokes affect nearly 800,000 Americans annually, and necessitates innovative scientific approaches for prevention, treatment, and restorative care. Funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), robotics research at the University of Notre Dame is being applied to improve the quality of life for the thousands of people whose ability to walk or maintain balance has been diminished. Doctors Jim Schmiedeler, Aaron Striegel, and Charles Crowell have harnessed gaming technology from the Nintendo Wii to develop the WeHab system to advance knowledge in visual feedback mechanisms for improved balance rehabilitation after stroke.