Surefooted Fall Simulation Training

项目总结/摘要 Surefooted LLC正在开发一种新型的物理治疗设备， 革命性的跌倒预防，稳足教练（“教练”）。三分之一的老年人经历 每年都有一次跌倒，福尔斯是65岁人群因受伤而死亡的主要原因， 老了目前预防福尔斯跌倒的治疗方法还不够。教练机由一个12乘3英尺的 平台与可互换的表面板。整个平台突然转向生产 当使用者在其上来回行走时，同时受到头顶安全带的保护，的 培训师的目标是提高受试者的平衡技能，这两个预期（使用视觉线索， 如看到障碍物）和反应性（例如在经历突然扰动之后）。动态步态 训练（即，用户正在行走）已被证明比静态平衡训练更有效。 稳固的训练器可能会在很长一段时间内增加受试者对福尔斯的抵抗力， 一次训练课。第一个具体目标是提高教练机的耐用性， 自动化训练协议。第二个目标是确定30分钟的有效性 在培训器上的会话期间，受试者暴露于6种不同的条件。的 Surefooted Trainer目前正在申请专利（美国实用新型和国际PCT申请已 2016年2月）。在展示了培训师的有效性后，Surefooted LLC计划将 该设备推向市场，并预计它将成为预防性治疗的标准。 为有可能遭受福尔斯之苦的人提供健康保障。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Surefooted LLC is developing a novel type of physical therapy equipment with the potential to revolutionize fall prevention, the Surefooted Trainer (“Trainer”). 1 in 3 senior citizens experience a fall each year and falls are the leading cause of death by an injury among those aged 65 and older. Current treatments to prevent falls are inadequate. The Trainer consists of a 12 by 3-foot platform with interchangeable surface plates. The entire platform shifts abruptly to produce perturbations as a user walks back and forth on it whilst protected by an overhead harness. The Trainer aims to improve subjects’ balance skills that are both anticipatory (using visual cues such as seeing an obstacle) and reactive (e.g. after experiencing a sudden perturbation). Dynamic gait training (i.e. user is walking) has been shown to be more effective than static balance training. The Surefooted Trainer will potentially increase subjects’ resistance to falls for a long period after a single training session. The first specific aim is to improve the durability of the Trainer and automate the training protocol. The second aim is to determine the effectiveness of a 30-minute session on the Trainer during which subjects are exposed to 6 different conditions. The Surefooted Trainer is currently patent pending (US Utility and international PCT applications were filed in 2/2016). After demonstrating the Trainer’s effectiveness, Surefooted LLC plans to bring the device to the market and anticipates that it will become the standard of care in preventive health for people at risk of suffering falls.