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New KINARM Exoskeleton Released!

Posted on Apr 7, 2016

The classic Scott KINARM was great, but now it is even better…

IMG_3301• Stiffer: A completely new linkage design has increased both vertical and in-plane mechanical
stiffness by 2-3 times. Stiff force channels are now possible.

Vertical out-of-plane stiffness: 8,500 N/m
End-point in-plane mechanical stiffness: ~16,400 N/m

• Greater Accessibility to the Head: The motors are mounted below the shoulders thus enabling full access to the head. Now you can use TMS – and any other head-mounted peripheral – without having to “squeeze it in”.


IMG_1952• 25% More Torque: 16.5 Nm (peak), 5.5 Nm (continuous)

• No More Analog: The electronics have been upgraded to all digital communication using the EtherCAT protocol.

• Quiet and Smooth: With EtherCAT, we’ve changed the servo amps, eliminating the audible noise and slight jitter felt with the Classic. Subjects perceive smoother movements.

The NEW KINARM Exoskeleton is now generally available.  Contact: sales@bkintechnologies.com for more information and pricing.

Download the KINARM Exoskeleton’s New Look

 

Dexterit-E 3.5 and Dexterit-E Explorer 1.2

Posted on Feb 11, 2015

KINGSTON, ON  New KST tests and significant usability enhancements have been released by BKINs Development Team.

BKIN Technologies is pleased to announce the release of version 3.5 of Dexterit-E: BKINs proprietary experiment control software for safe, effective control of KINARM LabsTM. Duncan McLean, Senior Software Developer, noted that this is the highest number of enhancements ever released at one time. They covered a range of Dexterit-E functions and user requests: from custom task control and useability, to enhanced calibration of the KINARM Gaze-Tracker, to new KINARM Standard Tests for our clinical research users. Some of the key enhancements include:

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3.5.0 – Dexterit-E and Dexterit-E Explorer 1.2.0 – Released

Posted on Feb 10, 2015

We are very pleased to be releasing simultaneously Dexterit-E 3.5.0 and Dexterit-E Explorer 1.2.0! For a complete list of updates please check out the download pages and the release notes:

Dexterit-E 3.5.0: Downloads
Dexterit-E Explorer 1.2.0: Downloads

Dexterit-E 3.5.0 comes with several major new features that improve both task development and overall usability. Of special note are:
Instructional videos
It is now possible to use Dexterit-E Explorer 1.2.0 or higher to make videos that can be displayed to the subject before a Custom Task is run. Each protocol can have its own video.
Analysis and Reporting
The analysis and reporting framework has been significantly rewritten to make it considerably more efficient. Exporting CSV analysis results and generating reports should take about 15-30% of the time it took with Dexterit-E 3.4.
New Standard Tests and Normative Data
There are 2 new KINARM Standard Tests: Ball on Bar and Reverse Visually Guided Reaching.
Ball on Bar is a task for assessing bi-manual dexterity by balancing a ball, with declining friction, on a bar held by both hands. Reverse Visually Guided Reaching (RVGR) is very similar to the Visually Guided Reaching task, except that the hand feedback moves in the opposite direction of the actual hand. The purpose of the RVGR task is to test cognitive override abilities in neurologically impaired subjects. Normative data is now provided with the previously released Spatial Span
Test.
Enhanced Task Control Buttons
It is now possible to group task control buttons together in Dexterit-E. The Parameter Table Defn block allows you to define layouts for groups of buttons that will appear in Dexterit-E.
KINARM Gaze-Tracker Enhancements
When using the KINARM Gaze-Tracker it is now possible to perform several calibration/validation operations on a single subject, then apply the best result. There is a new TDK block for detecting if a subject’s gaze is in a target. We now record and save the subject’s pupil area to exam files as well saccade and fixation events.