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UCP: No robotics yet, but similar research being done

By JOLEEN FERRIS

Story Created: Dec 4, 2009 at 12:58 PM EDT

Story Updated: Dec 4, 2009 at 1:15 PM EDT

UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - While robotics as a form of treatment for cerebral palsy might be years off for central New York, Upstate Cerebral Palsy is involved in research with Utica College that mimics what robots do.

"The treadmill training that they showed on the Today Show piece where they had the child on the treadmill with the robot doing the movement, the research that's being done by the Utica College faculty actually the same type of research only the therapist is doing the movement and we're seeing some great results," says UCP Therapeutic Services Director Jeremy Earl.

The benefits are robotics are obvious: robots don't tire, and motor learning research shows that repetition is very important.

Officials at UCP say the new robotic research is very exciting, but that there are only a few treatment centers nationwide using robots in treating children with cerebral palsy.