Tech
PWP welcomes partnering with innovators that help us serve as a proving ground for solutions that restore independence and quality of life for those with Parkinson’s:
Not Impossible Labs
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Patients & Purpose
As the industry’s premier patient and consumer health agency, we have the tools and the talent to understand patients, their journeys, and the decisions they need to make on their way to better health
Parkinsons Wellness Project launches GoBoot: The first open-source
smart boot for people with Parkinson’s
Over 10 million people live with Parkinson’s, and more than half struggle to walk each day due to a symptom called “freezing.” But despite the prevalence, it’s a challenge rarely talked about. Freezing causes a sudden, temporary inability to move, leading to frustration and an increased risk of falls.
Despite how common freezing is, scientific and technological discussions around the symptom aren’t translating into actionable solutions. That’s why GoBoot was created.
GoBoot is the first-ever smart boot specifically designed for people living with Parkinson’s. It’s powered by a groundbreaking application of advanced Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) technology that is fully integrated into the boot itself. As the wearer walks, GoBoot uses gentle electrical pulses to stimulate the muscles and nerves in the lower leg. These pulses help neurological signals from the brain reach the wearer’s feet, proactively preventing freezing before it happens. Alex Tressor, a Broadway dancer living with Parkinson’s disease, has been fitted with one. “GoBoot is going to make a huge difference for people like me. Its impact will be felt after people try it, work with it, and dial it in. It’s going to be enormous.”
FES has already been proven to help people recovering from strokes and spinal cord injuries, but its potential applications for Parkinson’s are just beginning to be explored. “We saw an opportunity to help people living with Parkinson’s,” says Angela Kogler, PhD in Biomedical Engineering. “FES is such a promising technology, but it’s not something that’s easy to set up or use every day. But integrating it into something people already use every day, like footwear? That’s a real opportunity in care.”
An Open-Source Blueprint for Innovation
GoBoot may be a first of its kind, but it’s open source by design. The open and adaptable nature of the project was intentional. “There’s a big gap when it comes to meeting the needs of people with Parkinson’s,” says Susan Lust, Director of the Parkinsons Wellness Project. “One size does not fit all. By custom-fitting this promising technology into something as practical as a boot, we’ve shown that solutions don’t have to be one-size-fits-all either. It’s about pushing boundaries and trying what hasn’t been done before.”
The innovative design of GoBoot demonstrates that it’s possible to use technology in different ways to create unique solutions for people with Parkinson’s. “We are all about creating meaningful change for patients,” says Dina Peck, Chief Creative Officer of Patients & Purpose. “We are thrilled to be part of such a special effort to create a blueprint that everybody from orthotists and footwear manufacturers to tech companies can take and literally run with.”
GoBoot is calling on the scientific community and the footwear industry to take the project further. “We hope that people will build off the GoBoot design and it will challenge people to innovate more in healthcare,” says Eliot Tyler, President of Patients & Purpose. People are invited to take the GoBoot blueprint, build on what’s been started, and help more patients. “There are more than 10 million people with Parkinson’s counting on us. Together, we can fight the freeze until there’s a cure.”
GoBoot: Starting a movement
