Health Innovation Network joins international consortium harnessing AI and augmented reality for clinical rehabilitation

The Health Innovation Network (HIN) has today (July 26 2023) announced it will join the international TeleRehaB Decision Support System (DSS) project.

TeleRehaB DSS is a partnership developing AI-based telerehabilitation solutions for people experiencing balance problems after a stroke, delivered via augmented reality (AR). The technology can also be used with people experiencing Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or long Covid-19.

Balance problems causing falls are one of the most common complications after strokes, with up to 73% of people who have had a stroke experiencing a significant fall within one year. Falls related to balance issues are often also associated with other conditions causing changes in cognitive ability such as MCI. These falls can cause physical injury (especially in older people) and may lead to the loss of self-confidence and depression.

Balance physiotherapy is a key intervention for falls prevention, but access to specialist falls prevention services is limited in many countries due to lack of appropriately trained clinicians and the complexity of effectively diagnosing and treating the underlying causes of the condition.

The TeleRehaB DSS project uses AI technology to make balance physiotherapy more available to non-specialist practitioners, through the introduction of guided diagnostic tools and personalised intervention-selection aids. These interventions are then delivered in the patient’s own home, with an AR “physiotherapist” guiding the patient through a tailored rehabilitation programme.

Supported by Innovate UK funding, the HIN’s primary role will be to provide expert guidance on facilitating the spread and adoption of new technologies and ways of working associated with the project. The HIN will also help TeleRehaB DSS engage with healthcare professionals and patients across the UK and further afield to localise its work.

The HIN joins a prestigious group of academic institutions, NGOs and research and development centres working on the project, with representation spanning Europe and Asia. Current members include:

• University College London
• Chulalongkorn University (Thailand)
• National University of Athens (Greece)
• Universitae Klinikum Freiburg (Germany)

Anna King, Commercial Director at the HIN said: “We are delighted to be joining the TeleRehaB DSS consortium and working on such an exciting use of a virtual reality solution in rehabilitation, to target a major health challenge where technology has a significant potential to improve care.

“I look forward to bringing our deep expertise in the spread and adoption of innovations in healthcare to bear on this international project; together we have a chance to explore how this emerging area of technology can best meet the needs of patients and clinicians.”

UK participants in Horizon Europe Project TeleRehabilitation of Balance clinical and economic Decision Support System are supported by UKRI grant number 10070260.