Technological aspects of traumatic spinal cord injury rehabilitation

Abstract

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is a lesion that occurs on the structure of the spine channel, and its origin can be traumatic or non traumatic. It has incidence in America between 24 to 54 cases per million per year. Because of many degrees of physical, psychological and social impact caused by SCI, several fronts of study are directed at treating, rehabilitating and reinsertion of this public in society. In addition, there are studies to comprehend how brain reorganization occurs after the injury; to avoid the progression of the lesion and to recover lost functionalities. There have been assistive technologies and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) developed to improve quality of life and allow more independence and mobility to people with SCI. Many countries of Latin America have limited information about the population with SCI, and due to the high economic and social impact of SCI, there is a huge need of investment in development of technologies for treatments, rehabilitation, low cost assistive devices and BCIs, that could be practical in clinics and accessible to the affected population and care-givers.