Recent developments in biofeedback for neuromotor rehabilitation

The original use of biofeedback to train single muscle activity in static positions or movement unrelated to function did not correlate well to motor function improvements in patients with central nervous system injuries. The concept of task-oriented repetitive training suggests that biofeedback therapy should be delivered during functionally related dynamic movement to optimize motor function improvement. Current, advanced technologies facilitate the design of novel biofeedback systems that possess diverse parameters, advanced cue display, and sophisticated control systems for use in task-oriented biofeedback. In light of these advancements, this article: (1) reviews early biofeedback studies and their conclusions; (2) presents recent developments in biofeedback technologies and their applications to task-oriented biofeedback interventions; and (3) discusses considerations regarding the therapeutic system design and the clinical application of task-oriented biofeedback therapy. This review should provide a framework to further broaden the application of task-oriented biofeedback therapy in neuromotor rehabilitation

Decentralized Telemedicine Framework for a Smart Healthcare Ecosystem

The healthcare sector is one of the most rapidly growing sectors globally. With the ever-growing technology, patient care, regulatory compliance, and digital transformation, there is an increased need for healthcare sectors to collaborate with all stakeholders – both within the healthcare ecosystem and in concurring industries. In recent times, telemedicine has proven to provide high quality, affordable, and predominantly adapted healthcare services. However, telemedicine suffers from several risks in implementation, such as data breach, restricted access across medical fraternity, incorrect diagnosis and prescription, fraud, and abuse. In this work, introduce blockchain-based framework that would unlock the future of the healthcare sector and improved services. Our proposed solution utilizing Ethereum smart contracts to develop a transparent, tamper-proof telemedicine healthcare framework, and ensure the integrity of sensitive patient data eliminating a central administrator. Moreover, the smart contract regulates the interaction between all the parties involved in the network and keeps the patient meticulously informed about the transactions in the network

Reabilitação Neuropsicológica em Pacientes com Lesão Vascular Cerebral: Uma Revisão Sistemática da Literatura

We performed a systematic literature review using the databases Web of Science, Pubmed and Bireme covering the years 2000 to 2011, using the terms “reabilitação cognitiva e acidente vascular cerebral” and “cognitive rehabilitation and stroke”. The results showed a paucity of publications on this subject in the international and Brazilian national literatures. We identified only 19 articles, and these reported mostly language rehabilitation exploring virtual environments for rehabilitation with brief and infrequent description of the methodology. The programs showed to be effective in improving tasks of daily living, suggesting their ecologic validity. We concluded that the rehabilitation process needs to be further explored and systematically analyzed and that the effective techniques should be disclosed and published in detail.Se realizó una revisión sistemática de la literatura en las bases de datos Web of Science, Pubmed y Bireme entre los años 2000 y 2011 a través de los términos “reabilitação cognitiva e acidente vascular cerebral” y “cognitive rehabilitation and stroke”. Los resultados mostraron escasez de trabajos sobre el tema en la literatura internacional y ausencia de trabajos en la literatura brasileña. En el estudio se incluyeron 19 artículos, los cuales relacionaron en su mayoría rehabilitación del lenguaje, siendo explorados los ambientes virtuales para la rehabilitación con metodología breve y frecuente. Los programas mostraron ser eficaces para las tareas de la vida cotidiana, lo que sugiere su validez ecológica. Se concluye que el proceso de rehabilitación debe ser mejor explorado, sistematizado y que las técnicas deben ser divulgadas y publicadas por la literatura científica.Se realizó una revisión sistemática de la literatura en laweb de bases de datos de la Ciencia, Pubmede BIREMEentre los años 2000 y 2011 a través de los términos "la rehabilitación cognitiva y el accidente cerebrovascular" y "la rehabilitación cognitiva y el accidente cerebrovascular". Los resultados mostraron la falta de estudios sobre el tema en la literatura internacional y la ausencia de la literatura nacional (brasileño), y 21 artículos incluidos en el estudio, que informó sobre todo la rehabilitación del lenguaje están explorando los entornos virtuales para la rehabilitación metodología breves y frecuentes, así como los programas demostrado ser eficaz a las tareasde la vida diaria, lo que sugiere su validez ecológica. Se concluye que el proceso de rehabilitación necesitaestudiar más a fondo, y que sistematizó las técnicasdeben ser expuestos y la literatura científica publicada.

The role of sound in robot-assisted hand function training post-stroke

In Folge eines Schlaganfalls leiden 90% aller Patienten an einer Handparese, die sich in 30-40% als chronisch manifestiert. Derzeit wächst seitens der Neurologie und Technologie das Forschungsinteresse an der Effektivität robotergestützter Therapieansätze, welche für schwer betroffene Patienten als besonders vielversprechend eingestuft werden. Die hierfür verwendeten Therapieroboter setzen sich aus einem mechanischen Teil und einer softwaregestützten virtuellen Umgebung zusammen, welche neben dem graphischen Interface, audio-visuelles Feedback sowie Musik beinhaltet. Bisher wurden Effekte der klanglichen Anteile dieses Szenarios noch nicht hinsichtlich möglicher Einflüsse auf Motivation, Bewegungsdurchführung, motorisches Lernen und den gesamten Rehabilitationsprozess untersucht. Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht die Rolle von Sound in robotergestütztem Handfunktionstraining. Die Hauptziele im Rahmen dessen sind es, 1) Potentiale von Sound/ Musik für den Kontext robotergestützten Handfunktionstrainings zu explorieren, 2) spezifizierte klangliche Umgebungen zu entwickeln, 3) zu untersuchen, ob Schlaganfallpatienten von diesen spezifizierten Soundanwendungen profitieren, 4) ein besseres Verständnis über Wirkmechanismen von Sound und Musik mit Potential für robotergestützte Therapie darzulegen, und 5) Folgetechnologien über eine effektive Applikation von Sound/ Musik in robotergestützter Therapie zu informieren.90% of all stroke survivors suffer from a hand paresis which remains chronic in 30-40% of all cases. Currently, there is an increasing research interest in neurology and technology on the effectiveness of robot-assisted therapies. Robotic training is considered as especially promising for patients suffering from severe limitations. Commonly, rehabilitation robots consist of a mechanical part and a virtual training environment with a graphical user interface, audio-visual feedback, sound, and music. So far, the effects of sound and music that are embedded within these scenarios have never been evaluated in particular while taking into account that it might influence motivation, motor execution, motor learning and the whole recovery process. This thesis investigates the role of sound in robot-assisted hand function training post-stroke. The main goals of this work are 1) to explore potentials of sound/ music for robotic hand function training post-stroke, 2) to develop specified sound-/ music-applications for this context, 3) to examine whether stroke patients benefit from these specified sound/ music-application, 4) to gain a better understanding of sound-/ music-induced mechanisms with therapeutic potentials for robotic therapy, and 5) to inform further arising treatment approaches about effective applications of sound or music in robotic post-stroke motor training

Disabilities and Virtual Worlds: An Exploration into the Experience of Learning about Self and Other

Research Problem: Virtual worlds like Second Life are shared 3D graphical places where people interact with each other and the environment through customizable embodied self-representations called avatars. Due to the recent nature of this research environment, the literature encompassing avatar identity, disability and learning in virtual worlds is limited. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore experiences of people with physical disabilities learning about self and other in virtual worlds. Research Questions: 1) How do people with physical disabilities experience learning about self and other in virtual worlds? 2) What do they learn? Literature Review: Virtual worlds’ constructs and historical developments contextualize the research environment. Definitions and typologies of selfhood and virtual identity explore the connection between person and avatar. Medical, social theory and capabilities models of disability are described, and accessibility, issues of virtual embodiment and disability in virtual worlds are explored. Methodology: Conducted in virtual worlds and involving in-depth interviewing of three residents of Second Life who experience physical disabilities, this study follows a qualitative phenomenological approach with descriptive and interpretative analyses within and between participants. Results and Conclusions: Self-avatar and avatar-avatar interactions lead to participants experiencing learning about themselves, their roles, and coping with disability. Participants expressed that Second Life is freedom and that with the right knowledge and tools disabilities can be overcome. Implications include shifts in perceptions of disability in technological contexts and potential uses of virtual worlds for self-exploration. The findings are limited to this study; future research should explore their generalizability