The FEFU Medical Center is currently preparing for clinical trials of a hardware-software system for the rehabilitation of patients after stroke, using virtual reality technology.
The system was developed by specialists of the Competence Center of the National Technological Initiative (NTI) of the FEFU in Neurotechnology, Virtual and Augmented Reality Technologies (VR/AR).
The system was developed by specialists of the Competence Center of the National Technological Initiative (NTI) of the FEFU in Neurotechnology, Virtual and Augmented Reality Technologies (VR/AR). The product is expected to increase the speed of rehabilitation for patients after stroke by more than a quarter and reduce the period of functional recovery by 30%, as well as the time spent in the hospital. An individual and detailed game scenario used by the system will provide better motivation for patients and more active participation in the rehabilitation process.
The clinical trial is a series of rehabilitation activities with a control group of patients who have suffered an ischemic stroke with complications in the form of neurological deficit. Study participants will perform rehabilitation exercises with elements of mirror treatment: sets of exercises for upper limbs in a suit with feedback functions — Teslasuit and additional motivational content reproduced in virtual reality. The rehabilitation course is designed to last 10-12 days. Over 30 patients will participate in clinical trials.
The study will help examine the effectiveness of interaction of the software-hardware part of the system in the rehabilitation of patients with musculoskeletal injuries who have suffered a stroke. The NTI FEFU Competence Center is responsible for the VR simulator with a motivation system, developed according to the approved methodology. “This is the initial stage, but we have received confirmation that the immense work on the development of the rehabilitation hardware-software system was not in vain. I am sure that soon the method will be approved by the Ministry of Health, and it can be widely used, and introduced into rehabilitation practice,” said Tatyana Kantur, Project Supervisor, Ph.D., Head of Restorative Medicine and Rehabilitation Center, created on the grounds of the FEFU Medical Center.
The University Medical Center will perform clinical trials for rehabilitation of locomotor disorders. The NTI FEFU Competence Center will monitor the course of clinical studies and promptly make changes to the VR simulator following feedback from doctors. The first results of the application of this method of rehabilitation are expected at the end of 2020.
The FEFU Medical Center is the most modern clinic in the Russian Far East. The Center provides high-tech medical treatment, diagnostics, and rehabilitation of patients based on the latest medical innovations. It also acts as a platform for advanced training of specialists from all over the region. Over the last five years, the specialists of the FEFU Medical Center performed more than 30,000 surgeries. Some surgeries are unique not only for the region, but for the whole country.
The NTI Competence Center “Neurotechnology, Virtual and Augmented Reality Technologies” was established at the Far Eastern Federal University in 2017 and was supported by the program of The National Technology Initiative to develop virtual and augmented reality technologies, and support of high-tech Russian developments and integration of them into business projects in Russia and abroad. The Center unites most of the key players that develop high-tech AR/VR projects as part of VR and AR Consortium and works actively with the community together with AR/VR Association.
