KTU students' innovation is an exoskeleton – a robot like costume with virtual reality glasses. Connected to the energy source the exoskeleton assists paralyzed people and those with reduced mobility to easier perform movements, train and recover faster.
The seven-man team concluded of various specialty students had different ideas at first before settling on the single one.
"We started by creating simulation armour for various games and virtual reality glasses-helmet allowing to see alternative reality. Finally, we came up with a device for recovering patients," said Tadas Spundzevicius, student of KTU Electrical and Control Engineering Faculty.
Although other devices based on exoskeleton technology exist, however, KTU students' idea involves an element of virtual reality.
"Wearing our costume people would not feel that they are performing boring, monotonous exercises. Instead, they would see that they are climbing mountains, exercising on a beach or walking through a forest. Virtual reality glasses created by our team allow people to move to any place in the world. In rehabilitation clinics the costume could be used in special rooms in combination with various obstacles or, for instance, sound or smell effects," elucidated Spundzevicius.
The university announced that the team was established in the Technology Entrepreneurship course. This is the only course in Lithuania for students of engineering and technology that uses interactive teaching methods to promote transformation of ideas into inventions and to introduce them to potential investors.
The students were encouraged by lecturers to apply for the Silicon Valley Innovation Challenge. Four members of the team – Laima Masaleviciute, Ruta Mejeroviciute, Lukas Gerbenis and Aurimas Brazaitis – presented the idea which was one of the top five in the Silicon Valley. Their trip was funded by Kaunas University of Technology.
