Honda announced Tuesday it would give a $1-million gift to Nationwide Children’s Hospital to establish the Honda Center for Gait Analysis and Mobility Enhancement. Honda’s robot, ASIMO (Advanced Step Innovative Mobility), participated in the announcement event at the hospital and stayed throughout the day providing special demonstrations for patients. Above, from left, Brynn Fraser, 8, and Sofi Payer, 12, share the stage with ASIMO during a demonstration.
(Photo submitted)
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Honda announced Tuesday it would give a $1-million gift to Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
The donation is to be used to establish the Honda Center for Gait Analysis and Mobility Enhancement designed to enhance pediatric mobility.
According to a release announcing the gift, the center “will become the first of its kind to provide not only comprehensive gait analysis, but also spine motion analysis, sports performance programs and injury prevention.”
Officials said the center’s mission is “improving the mobility of all children.”
“Honda’s support makes possible unique services and opportunities that will set the standard for medicine across the country,” Jim Digan, president of Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation, said.
Officials said they believe the center will become a leader in prosthetic and wheelchair development.
“At Honda, we consider ourselves a mobility company – and we want our products and our philanthropy to focus on the joy and freedom people have when they have mobility,” Tom Shoupe, senior vice president of Honda of America, Mfg., said. “Whether motorcycles, automobiles, marine engines, aircraft or assistive robotics, we have a long tradition of providing mobility products and so it was a natural fit to work with Nationwide Children’s on a center that would work to expand physical mobility for patients.”
Honda and Nationwide Children’s Hospital representatives made the announcement Tuesday at the hospital in Columbus where the center will be built. Honda’s robot, ASIMO (Advanced Step Innovative Mobility), was at the event and stayed throughout the day providing special demonstrations for patients. Honda officials say ASIMO is the world’s most advanced humanoid robot and reflects the company’s study of human motion and anatomy.
According to a release, the center will “seek and promote” innovative ways to care for and treat patients with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, spinal cord injury and neuromuscular disease, congenital anomalies and amputations and any condition which may limit mobility.
The release noted the Honda Center for Gait Analysis and Mobility Enhancement will “harness pioneering technology” and state-of-the art instrumentation to evaluate physically-challenged patients’ movement, abilities and limitations.
The center will also provide additional opportunities for research within pediatric sports medicine, injury prevention and surgical rehabilitation.
“This center will provide the opportunity to deliver life-changing clinical care to those patients limited in the their ability to walk or run, as well as maximizing the performance and mobility for athletes of all ages,” Dr. Kevin E. Klingele, chief of orthopaedic surgery and surgical director of sports medicine at Nationwide Children’s, said. “The researchers and clinicians who will be involved with the center will continue to strengthen an already collaborative spirit at Nationwide Children’s, bringing together numerous clinical departments to provide the best outcomes for our patients and families, and for this we sincerely thank Honda.”
Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Honda have had a partnership for more than 30 years. Most recently, Honda pledged $750,000 for the construction of “Determination Way,” Nationwide Children’s custom-designed simulated community that provides a real-world environment where rehabilitation patients learn how to manage daily living activities.