MOTION

MOTION – Mechanised Orthosis for Children with Neurological Disorders

Canterbury Christ Church University is a partner for the MOTION project.

Motion
Project Budget	ERDF amount	Start Date	End Date
€7 412 176	€4 445 719	03/01/2019	31/03/2023

MOTION – Mechanised Orthosis for Children with Neurological Disorders is a three year project involving 15 cross border partners. MOTION aims to develop robotic assistive technology - a wearable, lower limb 'exoskeleton' - to help children with cerebral palsy (CP) and other neurological conditions stand and walk as part of their rehabilitation therapy. It is part of the Interreg 2Seas Programme.

Background to the project

The project involves partners from the United Kingdom, Belgium, France and the Netherlands.

According to data collected from 14 European centres in the Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy common database (Cans, 2000), 30% of children with Cerebral Palsy are not able to walk at 5 years of age and 16% of the CP children need assistive devices to walk, while 54% can walk without aids (Beckhung et al., 2008). This means that 46% of the CP children might benefit from innovative technology like lower limb exoskeletons to promote walking. CP occurs at different prevalence rates, according to statistics, from 1.4 to 3.0 per 1000 live births (Johnson, 2002). Within the 2 Seas region there are between 1.970 - 3.940 CP children younger than 10 years (32.643 – 65.285 CP children in Europe) that might be addressed by assistive technology developed in MOTION.

MOTION Project final conference

The MOTION Project closure conference will take place on 13 January 2023 at Junia HEI 13 rue de Toul - 59000, LILLE.

For more information, download the conference flyer.

Project Objectives

MOTION addresses two challenges:

Improve the quality of life of children with neurological disorders through advancements in development, validation and adoption of robotic assistive technology.
Facilitate knowledge and technology transfer from research to industry, healthcare professionals, end users and policy makers by setting up a transregional network.

Project Outcomes

Major outcomes of the MOTION project will be:

Development and validation of an autonomous lower limb exoskeleton and a powered ankle foot orthosis for children
Development and validation of a functional, comfortable smart garment that integrates sensing technology to monitor children while wearing the exoskeleton.
Statistical analysis of physiological and biomechanical measurements for practitioners and the scientific community
Setting-up a transregional network to transfer technology and related knowledge by linking research with industry, healthcare professionals, end users and policy makers
Setting-up web-based and face-to-face training packages for healthcare professionals
A map of assistive technology dedicated to health authorities and SMEs

Partnerships

Observer Partners

Belgische Beroepsvereniging voor Orthopedische Technologieën (BBOT)
Christelijke Mutualiteiten België
Groupement Hospitalier de l'Institut Catholique de Lille
Injéno
Pacquet Industrie
Pole De Competitivite Up-Tex
Centre d'expertise et de Ressources Nouvelles Technologies et communication de APF France handicap
Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille
Petit Bateau

Canterbury Christ Church University project team

The Canterbury Christ Church University team is leading Work Package 3: Feasibility of Transfer of Technology. They will be working with other UK partners to conduct normative/baseline gait analysis studies with children with and without Cerebral Palsy (CP) and feasibility studies of prototype MOTION powered ankle-foot orthosis and exoskeleton technology with children with CP. Christ Church is also responsible for the conduct of a survey and interview with healthcare professionals and parents of children with CP to understand their knowledge, attitudes and experiences towards robotic Assistive Technology for rehabilitation practice. Findings of this work will inform the design and delivery of training and 'Train the Trainer' programme for both groups to be able to engage with MOTION technology.

Find out more about the project team from Canterbury Christ Church University who are working on the MOTION project.

Professor Eleni Hatzidimitriadou - Project Lead - Community Psychology and Public Mental Health
Dr Damian Coleman - Co-Project Lead - Exercise Sciences
Dr Mathew Brown - Biomechanics
Joanna Apps - Child Health
Markus Hunt - Biomechanics
Nikki Price - Project administrator

UK Advisory Board Members

advisory board members
	Louis Martinelli Specialist Physiotherapist & Exoskeleton Lead, Hobbs Rehabilitation
	Neil Perry Director Digital Transformation (CIO), Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust
	Konstantinos Sirlantzis University of Kent
	Sarah Crombie Clinical Specialist and Lead Physiotherapist, Chailey Clinical Services, Sussex Community NHS Trust.
	Lea Quentin Kent Surrey Sussex, Academic Health Science Network
	Mark Goss Sampson University of Greenwich
	George Arealis Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon Shoulder and Upper Limb Specialist East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust - Honorary Researcher School of Engineering and Digital Arts
	Lesley Katchburian Lead Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist (Neurodisability) HEE/NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellow, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children
	Gemma Kelly Physiotherapist, The Children's Trust, Tadworth, Surrey
	Jo Harbinson The Children's Trust, Tadworth, Surrey
	Tim Theologis Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Oxford University Hospitals
	Luke Thompson Assistive Technology Lead and Paediatric Occupational Therapist for the Pace Centre, Aylesbury Business Lead, Royal College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Section; Children Young People and Families
	Margaret Gurr Physiotherapist, Physiotheraplay