The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

A computer-based therapy can potentially help stroke survivors recover some movements in their hands. A new study in South Australia assessed the effectiveness of a brain-computer interface (BCI) system in decreasing post-stroke arm and hand weakness. FINDINGS The study recruited 12 chronic stroke survivors around the state who had limited arm mobility but kept a sharp mind. They underwent 18 neurofeedback training sessions using a BCI system by RehabSwift, a medtech company incubated at the University of Adelaide's ThincLab. The Therapeutic Goods Administration-approved RehabSwift system consists of a special head cap that captures a user's brain activity and a pair of exoskeleton hands that translate their imagined finger movements. When a user imagines moving their fingers, the head cap captures their brain activity, which a computer algorithm translates into commands for the user's bionic hands to make their fingers physically move. The BCI system personalises stroke rehabilitation by identifying the best part of a user's brain to focus training on, selecting the optimal brainwave frequency, and adjusting the timing between imagining a movement and receiving feedback. Based on findings published in Oxford University Press's PNAS Nexus, the BCI-based therapy demonstrated "remarkable" improvement in hand movement and a "clinically significant" reduction in post-stroke arm and hand impairment, with effects lasting for up to six weeks. The research considered the participants' reaction times, sensorimotor impairment, functional performance of their upper limbs, pinch and grip strength and personal goals. WHY IT MATTERS "Stroke often results in debilitating motor impairments, the most common being upper limb involvement, which impacts an individual's quality of life and independence. Despite completing conventional therapies, a significant number of stroke survivors face ongoing difficulties in regaining full motor function," the study's authors noted. Their study have proven the potential of a BCI system in facilitating hand movement recovery among stroke survivors. "The results indicate that personalised [BCI] therapy helps to rewire and restore the brain’s neural pathways, which are damaged as a result of stroke," said Mathias Baumert, the study's senior co-author and an associate professor of the University of Adelaide’s School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. The researchers now look to expand their study cohort, aiming to further investigate the long-term effects of BCI-based therapy and determine its viability as a standard treatment. MARKET SNAPSHOT Wearable systems have been developed and tested in recent years to facilitate the rehabilitation of people who experienced stroke. Singaporean startup SynPhNe, which received $4 million in Series A funding in March, claims to offer the world's first connected wearable system that simultaneously trains the brain and muscle to support stroke recovery. Researchers from Hong Kong Polytechnic University have invented ankle foot and upper limb wearable rehabilitation robots to assist with recovery training of stroke patients.

A nursing training facility in India has recently opened, which could be the first to be augmented by virtual reality technology. Healthcare VR developer MediSim VR has partnered with Kusum Dhirajlal (KD) Hospital to establish the Virtual Reality Health Lab. WHAT IT'S ABOUT Located at the 300-bed multispecialty hospital in Ahmedabad, a city in the western state of Gujarat in India, the nursing skill training centre is equipped with VR simulators that provide an immersive real-world-like environment for practising medical procedures and developing clinical skills. In an interview with Mobihealth News, Riddhi Baid, business development head at MediSim VR, shared that the training laboratory features a comprehensive, curated module library of essential skills endorsed by the Medical Council of India, the United Kingdom's General Medical Council, and the American Medical Council. "We cover essential skills required for all healthcare providers, including basic patient care skills such as assessing vital signs, proper wound care techniques, insertion of catheters, IV cannulas, and many more." Inaugurated in June, the VR training facility serves as a Centre of Excellence that aims to improve nursing training standards to boost productivity, address skill gaps, and align training and research with industry needs. As a CoE, it hosts training programmes, research, conferences, expert sessions, international events, trainers' training, and skills training. It also extends access to VR training to nursing colleges around Gujarat. "By integrating this state-of-the-art simulation training technology into our curriculum, we [do] not only enhance our students' learning experience but also serve as a training hub for healthcare professionals across Gujarat. As a [CoE], the MediSim VR Lab will play a significant role in upskilling nursing students," Dr Anuja Desai, executive director of KD Hospital, said in an official media release. MediSim VR and KD Hospital initially partnered in January to integrate VR technology into the training programme of the KD Institute of Nursing. WHY IT MATTERS The Indian Nursing Council estimates that there are about 3.3 million registered nurses in the country. This equates to 1.96 nurses per thousand persons, which falls short of the World Health Organization's recommended ratio of three nurses per thousand population. Besides this shortage, there is also a need to train and upskill nurses, particularly in areas outside urban centres where resources are limited. Baid believes the integration of VR in nursing education can help address this worsening issue. It both enhances the quality of training and standardises training across institutions. "Moreover, by reducing the dependency on traditional clinical placements, VR can alleviate resource constraints and accommodate larger cohorts of students." Aside from nursing, VR can also benefit learners in other areas of medical education, such as surgery and emergency medicine. "VR is increasingly used in therapy and pain management, offering innovative ways to help patients manage chronic pain and recover from injuries." Patient education is also an area where VR can potentially provide value, helping patients understand their conditions, treatment options, and surgical procedures, according to Bair. THE LARGER TREND The recent pandemic saw nursing education institutions around Asia increasingly adopt VR technology to continue conducting classes while meeting safety protocols. In Hong Kong, for example, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University developed the VR-based Virtual Hospital learning system – a first of its kind in the city – that simulates real-life hospital ward scenarios in a game format. Even as the pandemic subsided, institutions like the Singapore General Hospital still saw VR's value in augmenting nursing education. Recently, i tdeveloped the VR module IV NIMBLE, together with Serious Games Asia and sensor technology developer Microtube Technologies, to help upskill nurses in IV cannulation.

SAN FRANCISCO, March 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Glaucoma Research Foundation (GRF) today announced a total of $2.5 million in annual research grants to support innovative research to cure glaucoma and restore vision. Grants were awarded to 18 investigators at prominent universities in the United States, Nigeria, and Hong Kong. Continue Reading "This is the largest annual research budget in our 46-year history, said Thomas M. Brunner, GRF President and CEO. It's the first time we've had two Catalyst for a Cure initiatives running concurrently plus the greatest number of Shaffer Research Grants we have funded in a single year. Brunner added, "The Vision Restoration Initiative and the Initiative to Prevent and Cure Neurodegeneration are making new discoveries bringing us closer to a cure for glaucoma." "This is the largest annual research budget in our 46-year history," said Thomas M. Brunner, GRF President and CEO. Post this Glaucoma Research Foundation is awarding $1 million to the Catalyst for a Cure Vision Restoration Initiative principal investigators to continue their promising research toward restoring vision in glaucoma, and $800,000 to the Catalyst for a Cure Initiative to Prevent and Cure Neurodegeneration. Ten one-year, $55,000 Shaffer Grants will be awarded to support research into glaucoma genetics and new treatment for glaucoma. "In August we'll bring together scientists we fund with some of the brightest scientific minds in vision research for our annual Catalyst Meeting in Boston," said Andrew G. Iwach, MD, GRF Board Chair. "GRF is doing our best to invest in research that brings us closer to our goal of curing glaucoma and restoring vision, while at the same time developing better solutions for patients today." Catalyst for a Cure Research Collaboration Principal investigators: Xin Duan, PhD, UC San Francisco; Yang Hu, MD, PhD, Stanford; Anna La Torre, PhD, UC Davis; and Derek Welsbie, MD, PhD, UC San Diego; Sandro Da Mesquita, PhD, Mayo Clinic; Milica Margeta, MD, PhD, Mass Eye and Ear; Karthik Shekhar, PhD, UC Berkeley; and Humsa Venkatesh, PhD, Harvard. The 2024 Shaffer Grants for Innovative Glaucoma Research Revathi Balasubramanian, PhD Columbia University Kevin Chan, PhD New York University Bryce Chiang, MD, PhD Stanford University Cátia Gomes, PhD Indiana University Meredith Gregory-Ksander, PhD Mass Eye and Ear, Harvard Takaaki Kuwajima, PhD University of Pittsburgh Margaret MacNeil, PhD York College, CUNY Felipe Medeiros, MD, PhD Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Olusola Olawoye, MD, PhD University of Ibadan Samantha Sze Wan Shan, PhD Hong Kong Polytechnic University About Glaucoma Research Foundation. SOURCE Glaucoma Research Foundation