Roam Robotics, the company leading the expansion of human mobility with wearable robotics, announced today that the San Francisco VA Health Care System (SFVAHCS), along with the Northern California Institute for Research and Education (NCIRE), has begun enrolling patients to study the impact of Ascend, a first-of-its-kind smart brace, on the Veteran population.
Ascend, from Roam Robotics, is a smart knee orthosis designed to provide relief from knee pain and intuitively support everyday mobility. A previous clinical study of knee osteoarthritis participants demonstrated an average of 46 percent pain reduction, and 67 percent exhibited functional improvement when using the device. Ascend is the first wearable robotic device to show usefulness in everyday life for people suffering from knee joint pain who want to regain independence and live more active lifestyles. Ascend is also registered with the FDA as a Class I medical device.
“I am excited to evaluate Roam Robotics’ Ascend powered knee-brace in Veterans with knee osteoarthritis who experience considerable knee pain when performing day-to-day activities,” said Dr. Alfred Kuo, Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at the San Francisco VA Health Care System “Veterans suffer from musculoskeletal conditions such as knee arthritis at higher rates than the general population. We don’t have great treatment options for many of these patients, especially ones who have moderate disease. The Ascend brace has the potential to substantially improve pain, stability, and function.”
Ascend provides a non-opioid and non-surgical solution for pain relief and increased stability, while performing common movements like walking, kneeling, standing, sitting, and going up or down steps. “Roam’s technology has been proven previously to provide benefits to a wide variety of patients suffering from knee pain, weak quadriceps or instability,” said Sujit Dike, Vice President at Roam Robotics. “We are very excited about this partnership with the San Francisco VA. It can further validate the potential impact of Roam’s technology in addressing an enormous and growing challenge for the Veteran population”.
“Roam is focused on a massively underserved market. More than 20 percent of the global population is limited by their body’s mobility, and as medical advancements help people live longer that number is only going to increase,” said Tim Swift, Roam’s CEO and Founder. “Our approach to wearable robotics works seamlessly with the human body to help people lead healthier, happier and more active lives, unhindered by physical limitations.”