blog

CUGM

Fri, 04 May 2012 15:02:29 +0200

Motek Medical holds its annual user group meeting in Ottawa Canada from the 7th to the 9th of May 2012.
The program includes presentations of current and new developments, User experiences, user projects and mutli-center project collaboration potentials.

Motek Medical's CAREN system in the new Hollywood movie Battleship

Fri, 04 May 2012 14:48:15 +0200

Motek Medical's CAREN High-end system can be seen in the new Hollywood movie Battleship. Battleship is a 2012 American science fiction action naval war film based on the game of the same name. Battleship is the story of an international fleet of ships who come across an alien armada whilst on a Naval war games exercise. An intense battle ensues over sea, land and air.

The film was directed by Peter Berg and released by Universal Pictures. The film stars Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgård, Brooklyn Decker, Rihanna, and Liam Neeson.

Motek Medical on the CMEF exhibition in Shenzhen

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:02:29 +0200

Motek Medical atended the CMEF exhibition in Shenzhen April 17-20. The distributor for China "DIH Dexin" showed the recently released STABLE at their booth. Motek Medical assited during the exhibition with demonstrations of the assesment and training applications for STABLE. CMEF is the largest exhibition in Asia comparable to the Medica in Dusseldorf Germany. The number of visitors was enormous with a good exposure for Motek Medical.

Motek Medical on the Danish Physiotherapy Meeting in Odense

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:48:21 +0200

March 22th - 24th, The Danish Physiotherapy Meeting (Fagfestifal 2012) was held in Odense, Denmark. 1.500 physical therapy professionals attended the meeting. One of the introduction presentations was focusing on introducing more technology into the physiotherapy practice. Could we have a better introduction to the Danish market? Motek Medical was presenting the STABLE in a booth in the exhibit hall. General feedback Motek Medical received on their products is that it is impressive, fun and beneficial for clinical care.

Gait Analysis challenge

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:04:32 +0100

Motek Medical introduces a new approach to gait analysis with the GRAIL.

We challenged ourselves to execute 40 gait analyses of children aged 13 to 15 in 5 hours time. Each child walked for a couple of minutes on the GRAIL and we recorded 30 gait cycles during the final minut. Spatio-temporal parameters, 3D kinematics and and 3D kinetics were calculated in real-time.

Prof. Jaap van Dieën of the VU University of Amsterdam was present and was interviewed about the GRAIL.

Motek Medical at Klokhuis (Dutch)

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:30:53 +0100

An episode of Klokhuis, a Dutch news program with educational information for children. With every monday a Sportlab Special. This time with the strongest woman in the Netherlands, Ielja Strik, using the Motek Medical System in Doorn.

Motek Medical on the IV International congress Neurorehabilitation in Moscow

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 13:11:42 +0100

On February 27-28th 2012, Motek Medical CEO Rob de Vroet addresses the IV International congress Neurorehabilitation in Moscow.

The leading scientific, clinical and educational centers of the Russian Academy of Medical Science as well as the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation centers and clinics, representatives of leading laboratories and the firms which are engaged in working out of the equipment for diagnostics, restoration of functions and simplification of adaptation to environment of persons with the limited possibilities were present.

There was great interest in the Motek solutions for rehabilitation in the neurological domain.

Launch of our new product: STABLE

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 16:48:03 +0100

Motek Medical is proud to announce the launch of our new product STABLE.

STABLE is a revolutionary system supporting assessment and training of stability and balance-related disorders using direct feedback in a Virtual Reality environment. STABLE consists of assessment and training applications, based on proven therapeutic concepts.

STABLE offers the latest technologies solidly integrated into one functional system, providing you with solutions for:

Stability and balance assessment

Stability and balance training

More information

Motek Medical on the CSM 2012

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:42:01 +0100

February 9th - 11th, the ‘Combined Sections Meeting’ (CSM) of the ‘American Physical Therapy Association’ (APTA) was held in Chicago, US. Over 8,000 physical therapy professionals visited the CSM, attending stimulating sessions covering all 18 specializations of the APTA. Motek Medical was presenting their products in a booth in the exhibit hall, together with hundreds of other vendors. General feedback Motek Medical received on their products is that it is impressive, fun and beneficial for clinical care.

Body Posture wins the Dutch Game Award for Best Serious Game 2011

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 20:00:00 +0100

Body Posture winner at the annual presentation of the Dutch Game Awards. The game won the award for Best Serious Game.

Jury report:

How can you communicate a serious message as a fun experience? The art of transforming a training or simulation into something fun has been achieved by all three the nominees. Play and fun are useful tools in achieving a successful training. The three nominees have shown how applied games are used for varying purposes: from learning to write to computer programming and from fine motor skills to medical rehabilitation. The winning game has been chosen because it offers advantages for both trainer and trainee.

The Dutch Game Awards were awarded during the event Game in the City on November 24 in Amersfoort, during the Control Industry Dinner. The Dutch Game Awards is a showcase of the achievements of the Dutch Game Industry, highlighting both the quality and quantity of games produced in the Netherlands. The purpose of the awards is to spotlight the achievements of the Dutch Game industry and to promote The Netherlands as a game development country to the world.

http://www.dutchgameawards.nl/2011/category/winnaar-dutch-game-award

Motek Medical nominated two times for the Dutch Game Awards

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:46:27 +0100

The organization of the Dutch Game Awards, the most important awards in the Dutch game industry, has announced the nominations for 2011. Motek Medical is one of the few participants that has been nominated for more than one award! Both subscriptions of Motek Medical are nominated for an award and are nominated in the following catagories:

Games for Health Europe Award:

Magician’s Apprentice (in collaboration with Grendel Games)

Best Serious Game:

Body Posture (in collaboration with the Military Rehabilitation Center Doorn and Grendel Games)

This year the fourth edition of the Dutch Game Awards will be awarded during the event (Game in the City) on November 24 and 25 in Amersfoort. The Dutch Game Awards is a showcase of the Achievements of the Dutch Game Industry, highlighting both the quality and quantity of games produced in the Netherlands. The purpose of the Awards is to spotlight the achievements of the Dutch Game industry and to promote The Netherlands as a game development country to the world. The presentation of the Dutch Game Awards will be held during the Control Industry Dinner on 24 November.

The Dutch Game Awards are presented on November 24 during the Control Industry Dinner.

More information - Complete nominees list

Motek Medical at VRA

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 10:27:46 +0200

Visit Motek Medical on the VRA -Annual Congress 2011 of the Netherlands Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine 3rd - 4th November.

More info about VRA can be found on VRA web site

Human Performance Laboratory explores creative strategies for rehabilitation treatments

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:08:13 +0200

A group of engineers, physical therapists, physicians and basic scientists at the UNT Health Science Center are teaming up to gain a better understanding of normal human movement and how it is impacted by age, injury and disease. By using video motion capture, virtual reality environments, custom instrumentation and computational modeling, they are investigating rehabilitation strategies to help various patients perform more tasks with less restriction or pain.

Healing the Brain, Healing the Mind

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:00:36 +0200

At a new clinic for troops, doctors tackle a complex interplay between head injuries and posttraumatic stress

...The first stop for patients is a room with a large sectional couch. Here, patients tell their story to a team of specialists who will follow them throughout their stay, including a neurologist, psychiatrist, internist, physical therapist, and a spiritual adviser of their choosing. This arrangement eliminates the need for patients to relive their trauma each time they tell another doctor their story. Family members also attend this introductory session, and patients leave with a set of goals and a rehab plan for their stay of typically 2 to 3 weeks. “High-touch” features at NICoE include a large room for art therapy.

The “high-tech” component includes several virtual-reality environments, including a CAREN system, one of only seven in North America. A 180-degree video screen wraps around a 3-meter circular platform with a treadmill, and 12 infrared cameras monitor a patient’s movement as the platform rotates and tilts (patients wear a harness). Therapists use the system to assess patients’ balance and coordination in situations that mimic real life, such as walking down a city street. Many patients can walk a straight line down the hall in a doctor’s office. But reality is more complicated, and a patient’s balance problems can be compounded by attention deficits (a symptom of TBI) or hypervigilance (a symptom of PTSD)...

Read the whole article here

Launch of our new product: GRAIL, the Gait lab of the future.

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:41:46 +0200

Motek Medical is proud to announce the launch of our new product GRAIL, the Gait lab of the future.

GRAIL is an acronym for Gait Real-time Analysis Interactive Lab.

With the GRAIL you will be able to:

Acquire full gait analysis with gait report, videos and graphs within 30 minutes.
Have your complete gait lab on 25m2
All gait parameters available in real-time
Opportunities for gait training using VR and direct feedback
Training options enables you to have a 100% utilization rate

More information

ISO 13485 Certification

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 10:20:07 +0200

Motek Medical is proud to announce achievement of the ISO 13485 with CMDCAS accreditation. Acquiring these certifications is the culmination of years of hard work, consistent top-quality products, and the commitment and dedication of our entire staff. Not only has it helped us improve our internal processes, but it clearly demonstrates our commitment to improvement, service and quality to our customers and markets.

Motek Medical’s Quality System obliges the requirements of the EN ISO 13485:2003 standard, the European Medical Device Directive (93/42/EEC Annex II), the US Quality System Regulations (21 CFR part 820) and the Canadian Health Medical Device Regulation (MDR) so that we can optimally serve our clients in the medical device industry, for which this standard is a prerequisite. With this Quality System we present our commitment to quality to our clients, potential clients and all stakeholders in the company. Working in a field in which standards, guidelines and regulations are changing rapidly, we also make sure that our quality management system updates with these changes. Key in our philosophy is to maintain and improve the quality management system to the highest standards.

We believe that our decision to become ISO 13485 Certified is a proactive one that not only anticipates the demands of our clients, but also demonstrates our commitment to providing quality services to all our clients.

CAREN @ The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:35:38 +0200

CAREN System at The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre (at 17:02)

Unveiling CAREN at Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 01:17:00 +0200

Government of Canada and Partners Unveil the CAREN Virtual Reality Medical Treatment System at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital

The Honourable Laurie Hawn, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre, today announced Western Canada's first Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN) virtual reality medical treatment system for the care of both military and civilian patients. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, in conjunction with the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation, the Government of Alberta and Alberta Health Services (AHS).

"The Government of Canada is committed to providing the best evidence-based care to its ill and injured Canadian Forces personnel," said MP Hawn. "The state-of-the-art CAREN system will provide soldiers in Western Canada with an interactive form of therapy that will provide enhanced physical rehabilitation and mental health treatment to patients at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital."

"The CAREN unit represents some of the best technology we can offer our injured soldiers and civilian Albertans to help them heal, particularly amputees and patients suffering from brain injuries," says Greg Weadick, Alberta Minister of Advanced Education and Technology. "It's also going to provide opportunities for further research and development so we can continue to develop cutting edge medical technology here in Alberta."

The Government of Canada contributed $1.5 million towards the purchase of the system and training and other administrative costs. Through the Courage Campaign, which concluded in 2010, the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation raised over $4.5 million, leading to the opening of the Building Trades of Alberta Courage Centre and the creation of the Courage In Motion (CIM) Centre, which will house the CAREN system.

The Government of Alberta, through the Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology, provided $250,000 to support businesses developing rehabilitation products and systems using CAREN. Alberta Health Services will provide clinicians, facilities and logistical support to ensure the system is used to its full potential.

"We believe that bringing the first CAREN system to Western Canada truly signifies the Glenrose's status as a world leader in rehabilitation." said Mr. John Chomiak, Chairperson the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation. "Most importantly, the potential for the system to propel research, ultimately supporting improved outcomes in our patients' journeys, is simply what they deserve."

"Alberta Health Services is pleased to be able to assist in speeding the up recovery of some patients by having its clinicians use the CAREN technology as a form of therapy," said Gord Winkel, AHS board member. "The CAREN system represents the state of the art in virtual reality therapy. Injured soldiers and civilians alike will benefit from this device through quicker healing."

The Canadian Forces (CF) Health Services have a long standing partnership with the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in ensuring that ill and injured CF personnel receive the best care possible from both the military and civilian health care community. The hospital provides expertise in high-level rehabilitation treatment and the CAREN system will help enhance this care.

The CAREN will create a safe, controlled, therapeutic learning environment for soldiers requiring physical and mental rehabilitation. This system will allow participants to become part of his or her simulated environment and to interact and modify this environment.

"The CAREN will allow CF members to challenge their abilities in physical rehabilitation and to undergo exposure therapy as part of treatment for mental health conditions," said Commodore Hans Jung, Surgeon General. "The CAREN allows therapists and researchers to look at more accurate measures and make very technical analyses that lead to further improving evidence-based care."

This announcement is a continuation of the Government's action to improve the care and support of our troops, veterans and the wider CF family.

The Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation helps to build hope, provide opportunity and foster independence for people who have faced challenges due to illness or injury. All funds raised are used to enhance patient care, and support education, research, and technology development.

The Alberta government is working to build a better Alberta by fostering economic growth, strengthening our health and education systems, investing in infrastructure, supporting safe and strong communities and ensuring a clean and healthy environment.

Alberta Health Services is the Government of Alberta's provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than 3.7 million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.

View Original Post

Opening Movement&Posture Analysis Lab Leuven

Mon, 23 May 2011 15:42:40 +0200

The MALL consists of a combination of state of the art laboratories for the analysis of movement.
It provides essential infrastructure to the core research interests of both the Department of Biomedical Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences in understanding of human motion in health and disease, covering the range from elite sport performance to patient rehabilitation.
Funded mainly by the Hercules foundation, a state – of – the art measurement infrastructure is now available at Faber (Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences). The infrastructure integrates equipment to measure three-dimensional segmental movement using 3D motion capture systems, reaction forces using force plates and muscle activity using surface electromyography (EMG).

This integrated motion capture facility allowing integrated analysis of human movement will give an important impulse to further expand our expertise in the understanding of human movement. It creates new opportunities to further our fundamental research activities in human movement and posture analysis as well as our translational research towards movement rehabilitation of several patients groups on the one hand and elite sport performance on the other hand.
This interdepartmental research laboratory is an initiative of Prof. Duysens, Prof. Jonkers and Prof. Verschueren.

MALL has two functional units:

A MOVEMENT ANALYSIS UNIT AND A POSTURE ANALYSIS UNIT.

All elements of the two units are fully compatible and can be integrated – if needed – into an integrated 16 camera motion capture set-up with 5 force plates and 24 channels surface EMG.

Movement analysis unit:

The purpose of this unit is to measure three-dimensional (3D-) segmental movement, ground reaction forces and muscle activity during gross motor activities (gait, jumping, upper limb motion…). For the analysis of gait, overground walking as well as treadmill walking can be analyzed. For the latter, a split-belt treadmill allows the independent control of the gait speed of the individual legs.

To measure 3D segmental movement, a 10 Vicon camera system is in place that measures the 3D position of passive markers placed on the test-subject to quantify orientation and rotation of the body segments. By combining the information of adjacent segments, joint angle trajectories can be calculated.

To measure ground reaction forces, 3 AMTI force plates are integrated in the walkway. These quantify the 3D interaction forces between the test-subject and the ground during functional motion (e.g. gait or jumping). To accurately measure impact forces during sports activities, one force plate with specific high frequency characteristics is in place. Furthermore, an instrumented split-belt treadmill (Forcelink) is present allowing to measure bilaterally the ground reaction forces during treadmill walking.

To measure muscle activity during locomotion, surface electrodes are attached the skin overlying the muscle belly. In this way, muscle function can be evaluated through the analysis of the timing and amplitude of the electrical activity coinciding with force generation. A wireless, surface electromyography (EMG-) system (Zerowire) measures the activity of up to 16 muscles without interfering with locomotion.

Posture analysis unit:

Central in the set-up of this unit is the CAREN motion base. This 6DOF motion base allows evaluating postural control in a virtual reality scene by imposing standardized perturbations through platform rotations or translations around any axis. Simultaneously, three-dimensional (3D-) segmental movement, ground reaction forces and muscle activity can be measured.

To measure 3D segmental movement, a 6 Vicon camera system is in place that measures the 3D position of passive markers placed on the test-subject to quantify orientation and rotation of the body segments. Combining the information of adjacent segments, joint angle trajectories can be calculated.
To measure ground reaction forces, 2 AMTI force plates are integrated in the motion base. These quantify the 3D interaction forces between the test-subject and the ground during postural control.
To measure muscle activity, an 8 or 16 wireless channel surface electromyography (EMG-) system can be integrated (Zerowire). Therefor, surface electrodes are attached the skin overlying the muscle belly. In this way, muscle function can be evaluated through the analysis of the timing and amplitude of the electrical activity coinciding with force generation.
To increase the perceived immersion of the subject in the virtual world, an integrated surround sound system is present. The projection of the virtual environment is carried out by a front projection system.

For postural control experiments in which the application of perturbations is less crucial, an additional and separate posture analysis set-up is available: Integrated measurement of surface EMG and ground reaction forces can be supplemented with information on muscle oxygenation using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS).

CAREN System MRC Doorn @ PowNews (Dutch)

Tue, 10 May 2011 22:00:00 +0200

An episode of the Dutch news program PowNews about the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers at the Militairy Rehabilitation Center Doorn.