CIONIC, the innovative bionic clothing company behind the breakthrough Cionic Neural Sleeve, today announced that Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is to be the inaugural location of CIONIC’s Center of Excellence program. Based in Chicago, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is the nation’s leading physical medicine and rehabilitation hospital, having been ranked number one by U.S. News & World Report for 32 consecutive years.
CIONIC offers the first FDA-cleared bionic clothing that analyzes and augments human movement, enabling individuals with multiple sclerosis, stroke, spinal cord injuries, and other neuromuscular diagnoses to move with more freedom and control. The Cionic Neural Sleeve combines the diagnostic power of a gait lab with the therapeutic power of Functional Electrical Stimulation into a lightweight, durable leg wearable that can be worn anywhere. CIONIC, in collaboration with qualified physical therapists at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, will be offering individuals the opportunity to experience the Cionic Neural Sleeve for themselves.
“Providing our community with the latest technological innovations is core to our mission, and critical to addressing the growing need for better mobility solutions,” said Arun Jayaraman, PT, PhD, Executive Director, Technology & Innovation Hub at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.
Registration is currently open for the limited number of appointments available for the following dates, beginning in March, which is Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month:
- March 22, 2023
- June 21, 2023
- September 20, 2023
- November 15, 2023
All those interested in registering for upcoming Cionic Neural Sleeve demonstrations at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab are encouraged to email coe.srlab@cionic.com.
“Mobility is the most important measure of human health, as declines in mobility are correlated with physical, mental, and even financial wellbeing. The experts at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab have a track record of providing best-in-class rehabilitation care,” said CIONIC Founder and CEO Jeremiah Robison. “It’s an honor to debut our Centers of Excellence initiative at a facility that has set the bar for innovative, transformative mobility care.”
The Cionic Center of Excellence at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is the first of several regional clinics being established in strategic collaboration with forward-thinking neurological rehabilitation centers across the country. To stay informed on the growing network of Cionic Centers of Excellence, please subscribe to the CIONICNewsletter.
The Cionic Neural Sleeve is the first product to combine movement analysis and augmentation into a wearable, with a sleek, comfortable design that can be worn anywhere and operated by a smartphone. In multi-site research trials, 94% of participants demonstrated improved mobility when wearing the product. In a later study to determine the efficacy of the device over time, the company collected patient-reported outcomes in addition to kinematic data. In addition to improvements in mobility, the number of users experiencing moderate to severe pain was reduced by 60%, and the number of users experiencing moderate to severe anxiety or depression was reduced by 75%.
How It Works
The Cionic Neural Sleeve analyzes, predicts, and augments a person’s movement. It uses a dense array of sensors to measure how the body is positioned and how individual muscles fire during movement, predicts intended movement by measuring the electrical signal from the brain, and then algorithms analyze this data in real time to determine optimal muscle activation patterns. The Cionic Neural Sleeve then delivers Functional Electrical Stimulation to sequence proper muscle firing for natural movement. It is an adaptive system that provides real-time augmentation and adjustment of the wearer’s movement, updating each time they take a step.