Maryanne Harris – co-founder and director at RoboFit, Australia's first robot-powered therapy centre – will be the speaker at 2023's final Be Inspired networking night at Bulli's Timbermill Studios on November 16.
RoboFit is a pioneering start-up launched in the Illawarra that is reshaping the rehabilitation world with the help of technology.
“We aim to help our clients live life on their terms and have agency over their own bodies,” Maryanne said.
RoboFit uses human exoskeleton technology called Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) that relies on sensory feedback to stimulate the muscles in a natural way.
Like an exoskeleton in nature, a human exoskeleton is an external covering – in the medical environment, it can help people stand, walk and sit.
Rehabilitation at RoboFit involves creating a personalised HAL profile – including details such as limb lengths, joint angles and foot size – to determine a client’s muscle activation levels. This is then paired with a therapy plan.
Maryanne was studying exercise science at the University of Wollongong when her husband had a spinal injury, which ultimately inspired them to start RoboFit.
“We saw how innovation could improve his quality of life. Watching the progress that he made using the technology, we wanted to make it more accessible and bring innovation directly into the hands of those in need instead of having to travel to Japan, as we did,” Maryanne said.
RoboFit opened its first clinic in Wollongong in April 2021, making innovative advances in rehabilitation accessible to locals.
Maryanne was optimistic about the future of their new service. "We knew if we could make it work here, we could replicate our success in cities across Australia,” she said.
Today RoboFit helps people with neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy, to define their goals and regain control over their lives.
RoboFit now has a clinic in Sydney, recently held a Demo Day in Brisbane and has clients on a waiting list in Western Sydney and Melbourne. The company is also fielding international calls.
Funded through various channels including NDIS, aged-care funding, and workers compensation, RoboFit offers programs from four weeks to three months, four to five days a week.
Smaller devices can be leased to individuals for use at home, eliminating the need for repeated visits.
Looking ahead, Maryanne envisions a future where RoboFit helps people around Australia.
Their three-pronged approach focuses on improving accessibility, expanding their clinics' reach and engaging in university-led research partnerships.
"We are actively collaborating with universities, exploring the realms of neuroplasticity, and developing interventions at early acute stages,” Maryanne said.
“By training occupational therapists and physiotherapists, we aim to improve hospital discharge processes and enhance functional abilities, ultimately leading to significant cost savings for the government and most importantly empowering individuals to have more agency over their lives.”
To buy tickets to the November Be Inspired event, click here.
