Cadets at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs are developing a motor skills or physical therapy system for patients who have suffered a stroke.
Cadets at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs are developing a motor skills or physical therapy system for patients who have suffered a stroke.
They call it the Neumimic and the system utilizes an Xbox Kinect to track patients’ exercise motions and ensure they’re doing them properly, so the maximum therapeutic benefit can be gained.
Further, the technology frees patients from the physical difficulty of having to leave their homes and the potential financial burden of having a physical therapist present to guide them.
The Kinect-powered appartus itself costs as little as 5 thousand dollars.
Also beneficial, is that its very user-friendly.
Neumimic’s interface is designed so doctors can quickly record the patient doing the exercise properly.
Once saved, that serves as a guideline, allowing the computer to assess both productivity and progress.
Said one of the developers, "Rather than coming in and saying, 'I think you did better this week,' the therapist or doctor can actually show the patient a number that says you had this much greater motion this week."
The cadets hope that in the future, their device can also prove helpful for people suffering from injuries and difficulties with range of motion.
