New technology solutions that integrate multiple sensors (such as body tracking), interfaces (virtual reality) and games promise to fundamentally transform, if not disrupt the field of physical therapy and rehabilitation. This presentations shows 10 opportunities for startups and clinicians to make a difference today.
Emerging technologies in physical therapy and rehabilitation: 10 opportunities for health startups and clinicians
1. Prepared for HealthStartup.eu 5 on emerging technologies in physical therapy & rehabilitation.
October 8, Amsterdam http://bit.ly/hsu5about
Emerging Technologies in
Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation
10 opportunities
for health startups and clinicians
to make a difference
today
3. $849 billion
(or 7.7% U.S. GDP)
Estimated cost of musculoskeletal
injuries & diseases in the U.S., 2004
4. £ 8.9 billion
Estimated annual cost of treatment and
productivity loss caused by stroke in the UK.
Treatment costs account for approx. 5% of
total NHS costs.
6. It takes a lot of time.
It requires lots of therapists.
It’s often painful & boring,
leading to poor compliance.
Image courtesy of http://www.rehabassociates.com/
9. Researchers at the
University of
Southampton use
Microsoft Kinect to
help patients
recovering from a
stroke. A specially
devised algorithm
enables therapists to
remotely track
patients' hand and
finger movements and
guide them through
exercises.
10. Spain’s VirtualWare developed a ‘VirtualRehab’
system consisting of specialised games for the
Kinect and a control centre for clinicians. It enables
the clinician to plan exercises, monitor performance
and evaluate the progress of the therapy
11. Swiss startup YouRehab develops wearable interactive
therapy devices. YouGrabber enables training for
bimanual reaching and grabbing. YouKicker provides
training for leg and foot movements.
19. Estonian startup
Cognuse develops
a cognitive
rehabilitation
system using
digital
‘BrainTraining’
exercises and a
dedicated
touchscreen
workstation.
21. Dutch startup
NYOYN creates
large interactive
sensory boards,
that stimulate the
senses (audio,
visual & tactile).
Used as
rehabilitation
tool for elderly
and people with
cognitive
disabilities
26. Canadian startup Jintronix created a rehab system that
allows patients to do exercises at home using Kinect, while
their clinician is able to monitor progress and prescribe
additional exercises via a secure portal
27. The Mobile Health Unit
of the University of
Hasselt and Ziekenhuis
Oost Limburg in
Belgium have set up a
“clinical call center” to
support the
telemonitoring (&
rehabilitation) of
cardiac patients.
It consolidates and systematically monitors telemonitoring
data from various devices and applications (e.g.
pedometers, blood pressure, weight, heart rate,
medication) and it intervenes or alerts relevant clinicians
when necessary.
30. BrainControl uses a brain-computer interface technology
that interprets electrical signals corresponding with certain
brain activity and allows a computer to be controlled with
thoughts. Hence, it has potential as an assistive technology
for people suffering from ALS, Multiple Scleroris, people in
a locked-in state, etc
32. Launched with a KickStarter project, LUMOback is a
wearable sensor that alerts you when you’re slouching and
guides you (via the accompanying app) to a better posture
33. Researchers at the University of Utah developed a smart
shoe insole (called RapidRehab) to help people correct
their gait during rehabilitation. The device relies on force
sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, a wireless transmitter
and a smartphone app.
35. A team at the Children’s
National Medical Center
in the U.S. are
experimenting with the
Kinect to help diagnose
and treat chronic pain
syndromes (which is
difficult to diagnose)
38. Leap Motion Controller (an $80 consumer device) tracks
hand and finger movement in a small 3D space with a
claimed accuracy of 1/100th of a millimeter.
39. MYO armband (by Thalmic Labs) measures electrical
activity to detect fine movement from a wearer’s arm, which
lets the user wirelessly control a computer (and thus
anything else)
40. Shimmer is a small wireless sensor
platform that incorporates wireless
ECG, EMG, GSR, Accelerometer,
Gyro, Mag, GPS,Tilt and Vibration
sensors.
41. Microsoft’s new Xbox One Kinect can detect (or “see”)
your pulse, using a combination of the colour image feed
and the infrared sensor
42. Researchers at the University of Southern California use
Kinect to detect whether you are depressed, with 90%
accuracy rate
43. Wearable Games is a
graduation project by two
game design students that
integrates multiple
sensors (bend sensors,
heart rate) and feedback
tech (speakers, shakers,
LED screen) in a wearable
game platform.
45. Devices that
integrate
multiple sensors
and interfaces
Software for
changing
behaviour
(games and
digital
coaching)
Communication
networks &
tools
The #1 lesson: Look for the sweet spot as
four tech domains converge to transform
physical therapy and rehabilitation
Analytics & Big
Data
47. 1 Clinical validation
It is necessary
It takes time
It is expensive
How will you fund it?
Who will you partner with (startup
+ university + large tech/pharma)?
48. 2 Clinical feedback loops
Clinicians won’t monitor alerts from
multiple devices & systems.
How will you make it easy,
convenient & secure for clinicians
to take part?
Work with clinicians, integrate with
their systems and interfaces.
49. 3 Business model
Who will pay? (the answer will
differ from country to country)
Healthcare providers
Patients
Employers
Health insurance
Public health/government
51. Europe’s networking
conference for digital
health innovators.
Next event’s topic:
Emerging technologies in
physical therapy &
rehabilitation
Join us in Amsterdam on
October 8
http://bit.ly/hsu5about