Virtual Trainer extension to MEDICAL applications
A LED spot light moving at desired speed and acceleration becomes a useful application in the Medical Clinic field.
A
mobile reference with accurate and repeatable path is a great support to physicians which have to evaluate the performances of subjects whose walking capability makes up an importan physiological parameter.
Both patients affected by neural deseases and with orthopedic patologies can be followed step by step through their walking performances evolution and at the same time they can be certified in their benchmarks thanks to the secure reference provided with the VT med LED spot light.
VT Medical in Performace Test applied with Absolute Benchmarks
The 6 minute walk test with metabolic gas analyses, is performed to measure the walking efficacy of a patient. In other words, how much energy is needed when walking for 6 minutes at a fixed walking pace. During this test subject will wear a metabolic unit with a face mask, which will measure the oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide output.
Maintaining an even pace throughout the test is important to collect high quality and reliable data.
The VT Med is the first system of it’s kind that is able to assist the patient with pacing themselves correctly.
Benefits of VT med system over audio signals
- Easier to stay on pace (follow the lights)
- No correction needed – with “bleeps” patients tend to go too fast or too slow. Correcting for this by suddenly going faster or slower … costs a lot of energy (fatiguing)
- Not reliant on hearing the “bleep”(in many cases surrounding noise makes it hard to hear the “bleeps”, with constant lights this problem does not exists.
Easy to use
- Set program online (phone or computer)
- Able to set personal test:
- Distance
- Number of repeats
- Decelerate and accelerate (extra time to turn)
- Light colors (green, blue, red, white)
- Strong equipment
- Easy to store
- Able to use in many different places (inside and outside) as this is a mobile unit that comes with a rechargeable battery system
VT Med use in Performance Test
10-metre Shuttle Walk Test (10MSWT)
The 10MSWT is adapted from the 20-metre standard shuttle run test, which is used to estimate the physical fitness level of healthy subjects. As many people with CP (Cerebral Palsy) struggle to run, a 10MSWT was developed. This test has shown to be reliable and valid to determine the fitness levels in patients with CP (Vershuren et al. 2006 and 2011)
Normally this test is performed based on a audio signal on which patient need to pace themselves… as this audio signal is only heard at each turning point it is hard to pace themselves accurately. This makes the 10 MSWT less reliable.
To overcome this limitation the VT Med system will be used to pace the patients throughout the entire test.
Download Quick Guide
Download Prof. Robert Lambert (RSA) VT Med Presentation
Potential test and population groups that would benefit from VT Med
20 meter shuttle run test (also known as the bleep-test)
Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST)
Heart rate Interval Monitoring system (HIMS)
Biomechanical assessment test which require runner to run at a fixed pace
Population groups:
Deaf people or people with a hearing impairment
Children (easier and more fun to constantly follow a light than run and wait for a “bleep”)
Rehabilitation centers:
Neuromuscular diseases
Lung patients
Prosthesiology
