Laser Shoes / Image: olechowski/Depositphotos
People with Parkinson’s disease are afflicted by a symptom known as “gait freeze,” in which their legs lock up and keep them from continuing forward. A recent New Atlas article reported that a team of scientists at University of Twente and Radboud University Medical Center has developed shoes with lasers in them to help solve the issue. The shoes work by projecting lasers ahead of the wearer’s stroll, creating a visual target on the floor. Having a visual cue to aim for triggers circuits in the brain that allow them to continue walking.
