SBIR Phase I: Novel, Flexible, Video-based Motion Tracking as a Rehabilitation Tool

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将开发和测试一种新的系统，为患者提供物理和职业治疗定制的视觉和听觉反馈作为康复工具。建议的“增强反馈”系统将允许治疗师补充自己的口头反馈与视觉和听觉反馈有关的微妙性质的运动，是很难察觉。由于该系统使用普通的计算机和带有摄像机或网络摄像头的显示器，它易于使用，成本低廉，适合在诊所或病人家中广泛使用。随着婴儿潮一代的年龄增长，以及技术进步挽救了更大比例的创伤受害者和出生缺陷新生儿的生命，此外，基础和临床神经科学的最新进展使运动成为一种生理工具，以促进中风或帕金森病引起的神经损伤的整体“大脑健康”和“行为恢复”。预计这些不断增长的需求和科学进步将在未来提供更多的康复和健康计划。虽然计算机和现代技术已被用于研究环境中，但由于复杂性，成本或有限的灵活性，它们很少用于临床环境或家庭环境。所提出的技术的简单性，低成本和对各种练习的适应性将使其成为广泛受众的理想学习工具，并将其置于诊所，私人健康和健身从业者，患者和健康老年人的财务和技术范围内。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop and test a novel system for providing patients in physical and occupational therapy customized visual and aural feedback as a rehabilitation tool. The proposed 'augmented feedback' system will allow therapists to supplement their own verbalized feedback with visual and aural feedback concerning the subtle nature of a movement that is difficult to perceive. As the system uses commonplace computers and displays with either video cameras or webcams, it will be easy to use and its cost will be low making it suitable for widespread use in clinics or in patients' homes.The number of people who see physical therapists is estimated to be 15 million people, is expected to grow as baby boomers age and as technology advances save the lives of a larger proportion of trauma victims and newborns with birth defects. Additionally, recent advances in basic and clinical neuroscience have brought exercise to the forefront as a physiological tool to promote overall 'brain health' and 'behavioral recovery' from neurological impairments due to stroke or Parkinson disease. It is expected that these growing demands and scientific advances will provide even greater utilization of rehabilitation and wellness programs in the future. While computers and modern technology have been used to advantage in research settings, they are rarely used in clinical settings or home settings due to complexity, cost, or limited flexibility. The simplicity, low cost, and adaptability of the proposed technology to a variety of exercises will make it an ideal learning tool for a wide audience and put it within the financial and technical reach of clinics, private health and fitness practitioners, patients, and healthy seniors.