Multimedia Gallery
The Discovery FilesRobotic Neck Brace
Researchers at Columbia University have developed a robotic neck brace to help doctors analyze the impact of cancer treatments on neck mobility and to guide in patient recovery. In existing techniques, doctors use to assess the range of motion in the neck and shoulders, that a patient might lose after treatment, provide little assistance and identifying which patients are at greatest risk represents a significant challenge. So, the researchers are keenly focused on making the treatment of head and neck cancer, no longer a “pain-in-the-neck.”
Credit: National Science Foundation
Hi, I’m Mo Barrow with the discovery files -- from NSF -- the U.S. National Science Foundation.
That sound you hear is a panoramic x-ray machine. Someone is being screened for head and neck cancer.
People don’t tend to be aware of the incidence of head and neck cancer, but in 2018, there were some 890,000 new cases worldwide – making it the 7th most common cancer around the globe.
Head and neck cancer can spread to lymph nodes in the neck and other organs. Doctors can remove the lymph nodes to assess the risk of the spread of cancer. Yet, the procedure can result in pain and stiffness in the shoulders and neck for many years.
Funded by NSF, researchers at Columbia University have developed a robotic neck brace -- to help doctors analyze the impact of cancer treatments on neck mobility and to guide in patient recovery. Existing techniques doctors use to assess the range of motion in the neck and shoulders – that a patient might lose after treatment -- provide little assistance -- and identifying which patients are at greatest risk represents a significant challenge.
So, the researchers are keenly focused on making the treatment of head and neck cancer – no longer a “pain-in-the-neck.”
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