# Passive Exoskeleton for Children with Neuromuscular Disorders

> **NIH NIH R44** · RUSH RIVER RESEARCH CORPORATION · 2020 · $755,472

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Rush River Research (RRR) Corporation proposes to develop and commercialize a novel passive exoskeleton
that helps young children with very little residual strength to use their arms. The proposed orthosis could help the
over 500,000 children with many different neuromuscular disorders including muscular dystrophy, spinal
muscular atrophy, cerebral palsy, arthrogryposis multiplex congenital (AMC), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,
multiple sclerosis, brachial plexus injury, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, stroke and partial paralysis. Currently
there are very few commercially available orthosis options to allow many of these young children to use their
arms in a meaningful way. The new design is based on years of experience with custom prototype designs that
have helped these children use their arms to feed themselves, raise their hand in class, open a book, and use
a computer. The proposed design will improve on the ease of use, cost, comfort, aesthetic appearance, and
ability to be widely distributed.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9879753
- **Project number:** 5R44HD089789-03
- **Recipient organization:** RUSH RIVER RESEARCH CORPORATION
- **Principal Investigator:** Julie Lundstrom
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $755,472
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-13 → 2023-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9879753

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9879753, Passive Exoskeleton for Children with Neuromuscular Disorders (5R44HD089789-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9879753. Licensed CC0.

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