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NexBoot Press Release

10 million people live with Parkinson's, and over half struggle to walk each day because of a symptom called "freezing" —but it's not being talked about. This phenomenon causes a sudden, temporary inability to move and leads to frustration and increased risk of falls. Even though it's a common symptom, the scientific and technological discussions that do happen around freezing aren't translating into actionable solutions. So, we took this opportunity to create NexBoot.

NexBoot is the first smart boot specifically designed for people living with Parkinson's. It's powered by a cutting-edge application of advanced Functional Electrical Stimulation, or FES, technology. As the wearer walks, this technology proactively prevents freezing with electrical pulses that stimulate the muscles and nerves of the lower leg, so that signals make it from the brain all the way to the wearer's feet.

FES has been proven to help people recovering from strokes and spinal cord injuries, but the applications to Parkinson's Disease are in their infancy. "We saw an opportunity—a gap-and jumped on it. You have this promising stimulation technology with FES, but it's not something that's typically super easy to set up and use on a daily basis, so we thought why not take it and adapt it to something you use every day, like a shoe," said Amy Bialek, Robotics and Outreach Director at Push to Walk. NexBoot may be a first of its kind, but it's open source by design. "The adaptable nature of the project was intentional. We wanted to create a blueprint that groups who are more equipped, like tech companies and footwear manufacturers, could take and run with. This innovative design shows that it's possible to use existing technology and create a real solution for people living with Parkinson's."

With such promising new medical technologies releasing constantly, the creators of NexBoot were inspired to take action when others weren't. "There's a big gap in our healthcare system when it comes to meeting the needs of people with Parkinson's," says Susan Lust, Director of Parkinson's Wellness Project. "One size does not fit all. But by working with experts to custom-fit all this technology into a boot, we really showed that it doesn't have to. It's about pushing the envelope to new places and trying what hasn't been attempted before."

"NexBoot's mission," says Dina Peck, Chief Creative Officer of The Purpose Group, "is to challenge the scientific community and footwear industry: Innovate harder-take this blueprint, build on what we've started, and bring it to life. Over 10 million people are counting on us, and together we can start a movement."

NexBoot: Starting a movement