Glasses Help Parkinson's Patients Walk

Reported December 2007

SAN FRANCISCO (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- More than a million people in the U.S. have Parkinson’s. It robs the body of muscle control. But now, a simple pair of new hi-tech eyeglasses could change the way Parkinson's patients live their everyday lives.

One foot in front of the other … it used to be so simple for the retired podiatrist, before he was diagnosed with Parkinson's. As he began to lose mobility, Tom Riess had a vision, literally, of a new invention that could help Parkinson's sufferers walk with ease.

“I fall maybe 10 or 12 times a day and I have black and blue marks to show for it, but with these glasses I won’t fall,” Riess said.

With the help of electrical engineers, when patients look through the goggles, they see a checkerboard grid in front of them and step over the patterns. Tom likens the effect to dropping cards on the floor as markers. These new glasses use the science of optics to shine lines of light inside the lenses to form visual cues.

“We take the well known concept that physical cues may help a Parkinson’s patient walk again," Yves Vaillant, an electrical engineer at Enhance Vision said.

A walk around his living room was once a rocky road for Riess, but with the glasses, it's a smooth stroll.

“One way it feels very constrained, like walking under water, and one way it feels close to what we call as normal,” Riess said.

Normal for tom takes work, but tom faces every day one step at a time.

“It’s important not to withdraw from the world, it’s important to be as active as possible,” Riess said.

The Optical Society of America contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report.

Click here to Go Inside This Science or contact:

The Parkinson's Institute
675 Almanor Avenue
Sunnyvale, California 94085-2934
(800) 655-2273 or (800) 786-2958

To find out more about LED's and the products they're in, contact:

Optical Society of America
(202) 223-8130
http://www.osa.org
info@osa.org

For Parkinson's sufferers, walking can be a rocky road, but these new glasses are helping patients regain a smooth stride.

Whether it's watching movies and eating popcorn or having a snack while you're sitting at your desk, find out why we often eat out of habit, not hunger.

No person can read minds; but this machine can! Take a look at this new technology that is able to map out exactly how your baby's brain is working.

This tiny device is helping forecasters get up-to-date weather information straight from the sky.

Cars going on autopilot … with no drivers! These futuristic vehicles are taking the term backseat driver to a whole new meaning.

Moving towards the future is a race this robot is willing to run, and fast! Life-like joints, and a learning memory give Runbot a leg-up on his competition.

What's the tree population of your city? Chances are it should be growing. This new system is making it easy to keep track of trees.

Love the look of a freshly painted room but hate dealing with the smell? This new paint formula takes the odor out of the job.

Science may be the last thing on your mind as you guzzle a beer, but once you know the physics of what's happening as you drink, you may appreciate your next brew even more.

Whether you're a nautical fanatic or just planning your next beachfront vacation, these sailing tips will have you hitting the high seas like a pro.

Computer scientists have found a way to create a perfect head of blonde cyber-hair. Find out why digital blonde highlights require a special stylist.

Here's a scientific term for you: stuff. What is it? It's all around, and this traveling showcase is teaching kids and adults the importance of studying their stuff.