Periodic Reporting for period 3 - OneHAND (Innovative user-centred solution to transform upper limb amputees’ treatment)
Reporting period: 2023-06-01 to 2024-03-31
The amendment to the project has strategically redirected our focus towards the development of the VR Training solution and the establishment of comprehensive Rehabilitation guidelines and standardization procedures. This shift has led to the exclusion of further advancements in prosthetic device development from the project scope. Despite this change, we are confident that the VR training platform will significantly enhance the rehabilitation and training processes for upper-limb amputees.
- Enhanced Training Efficiency and Cost Reduction: The VR training solution is designed to streamline the rehabilitation process, potentially reducing both the time and costs associated with traditional prosthetic training methods. This efficiency is achieved through the platform's advanced features and high level of usability, which have been rigorously validated.
- Validation and Positive Feedback: The platform has received positive feedback from both users and clinicians, indicating its effectiveness and user-friendliness. External reviews have further underscored the added value of this innovative solution, enhancing its credibility and anticipated impact in the field of rehabilitation.
- Commercialization Challenges and Strategies: While there are challenges in commercialization, such as the limited market size and the inability to classify the product as a medical device, these are offset by the significant time savings and improved quality of training. These factors are expected to lead to a promising return on investment for clinics and therapists.
- Market Expansion and Educational Integration: By positioning the VR platform not only as a prosthesis training tool but also as a comprehensive VR Prosthesis Experience for educational institutions, we anticipate an expanded market reach.
In conclusion, the VR training platform is a comprehensive training solution that promises to revolutionize the way myo-controlled prostheses are taught and mastered, delivering tangible benefits to patients, therapists, and healthcare providers alike.
The training platform is evaluated to establish the viability of the training platform. User studies with able-bodied participants trained prosthesis showed that training with the platform led to test results that did not differ from test results with an actual prosthesis. Moreover, prosthesis users and therapists evaluated the experiences of the training platform regarding usability, motivation, workload and feasibility of implementing the training platform in standard care. Usability and motivation were high and prosthesis workload was acceptable. The users were positive regarding implementing the training platform in standard care. These findings show the potential for using VR in rehabilitation practice and the potential impact of the OneHand training platform, specifically.
The Business plan was evaluated and validated with multiple stakeholder groups and finetuned with market research. A partnership has been established with a company active in the field of rehabilitation too act as indirect sales channel (reseller) extending potential market reach internationally. Furthermore the educational market is targeted as additional target audience as means to experience prosthetic use for future healthcare professionals, with interviews validating the added value in health care education.
A comprehensive literature review has highlighted key factors that are essential to improving the outcomes and satisfaction of upper limb service users. Through the literature review and a key working group, guidelines for rehabilitation personnel was created and accompanying service user resources developed to improve information dissemination and establish a baseline to be utilised globally and to help build capacity amongst upper limb amputation rehabilitation personnel.
The training platform and guidelines have been presented and demonstrated at various occasions, showcasing the results of the project.
Employing VR technology in prosthetic training is an innovative leap that holds immense potential to elevate the quality and efficacy of rehabilitation training. It allows the application of gamified training techniques while creating a natural training environment. Moreover, it offers unique ways to motivate users and personalize their training experience. Despite the intrinsic usability challenges and restrictions of Virtual Reality, the consortium has managed to create a highly accessible VR training that is as effective as training with real prosthetic devices. Part of this project's achievements is the development of guidelines for healthcare providers. This provides guidance for clinicians worldwide to optimize the patient journey and incorporate the VR solution into a comprehensive approach that maximizes the effectiveness of rehabilitation and training.
Our project promises to be a considerable advancement in prosthetic therapy, far exceeding current practices. While the role of therapy is essential in boosting prosthetic utilization rates, we recognize the substantial variations in therapy applications across different countries and regions. Our project, which leverages VR technology, can help bridge these gaps and explore the potential of immersive and interactive training programs to boost the effectiveness and accessibility of prosthetic therapy. With VR gaining traction as a tool for empathy-building and training among able-bodied individuals, we foresee its adoption expanding to educational institutions.