Tabling the motion

Rehabilitation therapy might not sound like fun but Bill Presiznuik looks forward to it every day.

“There’s nothing like it,” he enthuses.

The 65-year-old recovering stroke patient is referring to the interactive tabletop, a made-in-Edmonton technology used for daily therapy at the city’s Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital.

Developed by Alberta Health Services (AHS) and the University of Alberta, the high-tech machine offers rehabilitation patients game-like therapeutic activities, such as popping virtual balloons, finger-painting and arranging family pictures.

As a result, patients spend more time performing these fun activities, which can lead to faster recoveries and improved outcomes.

The interactive, rehab-specific tabletop marries a computer, digital projector, infrared sensing camera and dedicated software to help stroke, injury and surgical patients who require upper limb motor therapy to regain strength, co-ordination and reactive skills.

“It really gets your fingers and arms moving,” says Presiznuik. 

“My left arm was totally paralyzed. I work a half hour or hour a day on the table and I can see a change every day.”

Traditionally, rehabilitation patients perform exercises such as stacking items, reaching for cones and wiping a table with a cloth.

“Although these activities rebuild strength and co-ordination, they can be quite boring and not very engaging,” says occupational therapist Quentin Ranson.

“With the tabletop, patients get engaged in an activity and, before they know it, they’re half an hour into exercise without realizing they’re exerting themselves. They work longer and that can lead to a faster recovery.”

The touch-sensitive screen can track even the slightest hand movement and reaction, allowing health professionals to precisely measure a patient’s progress.

Glenrose researchers, technologists and occupational therapists pooled their talents with U of A computing science academic staff and students over the past year to build the prototype. It cost $6,000 and was developed by AHS, the U of A and the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation.

U of A student Michelle Annett wrote software.

“If I can use the stuff that I love to do – technology and programs and applications — if I can maybe make their day a little bit more exciting, or make their life a little bit happier, then I’m all for that,” says Annett, who is supervised by Dr. Walter Bischof at the Advanced Man Machine Interface (AMMI) lab at the U of A.

About 40 patients have used the tabletop since its launch in July.

Presiznuik says the machine has made his rehabilitation a family affair.

“My little granddaughter tried it for a few minutes and she really loved it,” he says. “She loved the fact that she was colouring with Grandpa.”

Darrell Goertzen, Technology Service Leader for Research and Technology Development at the Glenrose, says an interactive floor version for leg therapy is currently under development.

“Technology is becoming much more available and affordable. We can see it entering into all areas of rehab,” Goertzen says. “Just wait and see what we’ll be doing in the coming years. You'll be amazed.”