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JULY 2019 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 91 companies. We can co-develop this PCB tech- nology and process that can be applied at both companies. Williams: Wow! As a fellow old board rat, I find this really interesting. What do you think the timeline is? Chiem: All I can tell you is that it is an ongo- ing iterative process as design adjustments are made after each batch of PCBs are built and tested until the process is perfected. Williams: It's exciting to work with you. I know you're doing a lot of great things here, and I'm looking forward to what you come up with next. Anyone who needs high-quality flex and rigid-flex PCBs can contact Van and the team at Prototron, and they will take care of you. Thanks for taking the time today to talk. Chiem: Of course. I am always available to help. FLEX007 Steve Williams is the president of The Right Approach Consulting. To read past columns or contact Williams, click here. issues due to conditions such as arthritis and stroke be- come more prevalent." Rehabilitation is vital for patients, but according to Pro- fessor Rossiter, outcomes are hampered by a lack of easy- to-use dynamic tools to help therapists accurately analyse mobility performance and devise effective programmes; and as rehabilitation increasingly takes place in patients' homes in the absence of a therapist, better ways to sup - port in-home mobility and training are needed. The materials from which the artificial muscles are made include 3D-printable electroactive gel materials, and soft but strong pneumatic chains that change shape when inflated and can exert considerable force. Professor Rossiter said, "Together with integrated sensing technology, we will make devices that physiother - apists can use to accurately pinpoint limitations in their patients' movements, thus enabling them to plan personalised training programmes. We will also make simpler devices that the patient can use to enhance their mobility activities and exercise with confidence when a therapist is not with them." To develop the project, the researchers will work with physiotherapists in the NHS and private practice and people who have undergone phys- iotherapy for their mobility problems. Following R&D, the aim is to conduct clinical trials and then bring the devices into the supply chain once the project is over. (Source: University of Bristol) The lives of thousands of people with mobility issues could be transformed thanks to ground-breaking research by scientists at the University of Bristol. The FREEHAB proj- ect will develop soft, wearable rehabilitative devices with a view of helping elderly and disabled people walk and move from sitting to a standing position in comfort and safety. Led by University of Bristol Professor of Robotics Jona - than Rossiter, FREEHAB builds on discoveries from his pre- vious The Right Trousers project where his team developed new soft materials that could be used as artificial muscles. Professor Rossiter said, "There are over 10.8 million dis- abled people living in the U.K. today. Nearly 6.5 million have mobility impairments. These numbers are growing as the median population age increases and age-related mobility People With Mobility Issues Set to Benefit From Wearable Devices