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HANK and BELK Exoskeletons Arrive in Rural Portugal: REVITAL & GOGOA Bring Robotic Neurorehabilitation to Local Communities

  • Writer: Gogoa Mobility Robots
    Gogoa Mobility Robots
  • 1 day ago
  • 3 min read

Published: 20 October 2025



The European project REVITAL – Socioeconomic revitalisation of sparsely populated areas through clinical telecare has taken a decisive step forward in Portugal. On 8 October, the Escola Superior de Saúde Dr. Lopes Dias (ESALD), part of the Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco (IPCB), hosted the first clinical training and testing session with the HANK and BELK exoskeletons, developed by Gogoa Mobility Robots.


This initiative demonstrates how advanced robotic rehabilitation, virtual reality and tele-rehabilitation technologies can be deployed beyond major hospitals and brought directly to rural populations with limited access to specialised care.


REVITAL: Innovation and Healthcare at the Service of the Community



REVITAL is a cross-border European initiative financed by the Interreg VI-B Sudoe 2021–2027 Programme, with a total budget of €2,131,109, of which €1,598,331.75 is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER).


Its mission is to:

  • Improve access to specialised healthcare and neurorehabilitation in low-density regions of Spain, Portugal and France.

  • Combat rural depopulation by creating new health, technology and rehabilitation services.

  • Promote social innovation and digital health, empowering local professionals and institutions.


The project is coordinated by the SIVI Cluster (Innovative Solutions for Independent Living) and includes partners such as AEBB, ESALD/IPCB, Gogoa Mobility Robots, the University of Deusto, ESTIA (France) and various healthcare organisations across the Sudoe region.


Clinical Training with HANK and BELK at ESALD



During this first session, physiotherapists and lecturers from ESALD received technical and clinical training in two key robotic rehabilitation systems:

  • HANK – a lower-limb exoskeleton for gait rehabilitation in individuals with stroke, spinal cord injury or neurodegenerative conditions. It enables precise, repetitive and measurable training sessions.

  • BELK – a motorised knee exoskeleton designed to support knee extension, gait stability and post-injury recovery, in both unilateral and bilateral configurations.


Training included:

  • Patient set-up and calibration

  • Safety and inclusion criteria

  • Adjustment of assistance levels

  • Recording of gait parameters (cadence, step length, symmetry, fatigue, perceived exertion)

  • Data logging for clinical monitoring and future research


Next Steps: Clinical Pilots in Castelo Branco and São Miguel d’Acha


In the coming weeks, real patient trials will begin in two pilot sites:

  • ESALD’s Pedagogical Clinic (Castelo Branco)

  • São Miguel d’Acha, a rural community participating in the REVITAL programme


The clinical pilots aim to evaluate:

  • Improvements in gait, balance and activities of daily living

  • Acceptance of robotic rehabilitation by patients and healthcare professionals

  • Effectiveness of hybrid care models combining in-person therapy and tele-rehabilitation

  • Reduction in travel for rural populations requiring long-term rehabilitation


Gogoa Mobility Robots: Democratizing Robotic Rehabilitation


As a technological partner, Gogoa Mobility Robots contributes:

  • Advanced clinical exoskeletons: HANK (gait), BELK (knee) and HELK (lumbar support)

  • Specialised training for physiotherapists and clinicians

  • Expertise in clinical protocols, biomechanical data analysis and performance indicators

  • Support to scale and replicate the model across other rural regions in the Sudoe area


Impact of REVITAL


✔ Improved access to specialised rehabilitation in rural areas

✔ Higher therapy intensity and measurable clinical outcomes through robotic assistance

✔ New professional opportunities in digital health and physiotherapy 4.0

✔ Transferable, scalable model for other rural communities in Spain, Portugal and France


Conclusion


REVITAL illustrates how technology, healthcare and territorial cohesion can work together to reduce inequalities in access to rehabilitation. Thanks to initiatives like this, robotic neurorehabilitation is no longer limited to large urban hospitals, but is reaching local communities, elderly populations and patients with mobility impairments.

If your clinic, hospital or university is interested in implementing robotic rehabilitation or collaborating in European innovation projects, contact Gogoa Mobility Robots.

 
 
 
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