Moonwalk treadmill trains brain-injured patients to walk

Though there's been plenty of inventions that help brain-injured individuals regain a somewhat normal gait, a split-belt treadmill that oftentimes "pushes people into sloppy versions of Michael Jackson's moonwalk" is certainly one of the most bizarre. The device enables one foot to move up to four times faster than the other or throw one leg into reverse whilst the other moves forward, essentially forcing one's brain to make an "unconscious adjustment" in order to keep him / her from falling down. The goal, now, however, is to figure out how to make the temporary fixes instituted by the moonwalk machine permanent -- without forcing the disabled to live out their lives with Thriller running through their headphones.

[Via ShortNews]

[strider_mt2k @ Aug 13th 2007 10:15AM]

"The goal, now, however, is to figure out how to make the temporary fixes instituted by the moonwalk machine permanent -- without forcing the disabled to live out their lives with Thriller running through their headphones."
Or simply through the minds of many people reading this article.
DAMMIT!
(DO DO...DO DO do-do-dodi-do-do...do-do-do dodi-do-do...)

(Cue Vincent Price!)

[jvcalin @ Aug 13th 2007 11:50AM]

MJ didn't do the moonwalk for Thriller... it was for Billy Jean. :)

[reader @ Aug 13th 2007 1:54PM]

i thought that was Alice Coops

[whatevas @ Aug 13th 2007 6:44PM]

MJ absolutely rocks!

[Sue Scheff @ Aug 14th 2007 2:37AM]

Wow. A pretty cool concept, if you think about it. One has to think it would be pretty interesting to actually watch one of these in action...

[soundstruck @ Aug 14th 2007 3:21AM]

Soon enough, they'll be painting, exercising, cooking, making blended drinks, and taking *your* calls!