Virtual physiotherapist system for stroke patients developed

A system using video analytics to support upper limb rehabilitation within the home of a stroke patient has been developed at Leeds Beckett University.

Professor Dorothy Monekosso, director of research in the School of Computing, Creative Technologies and Engineering has developed the virtual physiotherapist system, with the aim of providing real-time feedback, assessment of patient performance and objective measures of progress to care providers. It monitors exercises and could allow patients to have more frequent physiotherapy sessions and allow clinicians and patients to receive improved clinical assessment of their progress. The programme has been backed by a local programme called Grow MedTech with a £5,000 grant.

A prototype system has been developed, which comprises a camera and computing equipment installed at the patient’s home; linked by residential broadband to a clinic. The system collects and processes the video data and, through a user interface, guides the patient through rehabilitation exercises providing feedback and encouragement in real-time. The patient’s performance is assessed and information is sent to the physiotherapist based at the clinic, providing an objective measure of progress.

Professor Monekosso and her team are now collaborating with stroke and rehabilitation experts to further develop the user interface and evaluate the system, including trialling the virtual physiotherapist with stroke patients.

She said: “Every year, more than 150,000 people in the UK have a stroke and almost a million people in the UK are living with the after-effects. Common effects are physical weakness and paralysis of one or more limbs. There is no cure, symptoms are managed with physiotherapy.

“Once discharged from hospital the patient must continue physiotherapy in the form of exercises. These are relatively easy for able-bodied people but challenging for the stroke survivor. A patient is advised to carry out tens of repetitions daily.

“However, several factors limit the amount of time a patient spends in supervised physiotherapy sessions; economic factors, ability to travel to and from a clinic, health, and motivation.”