The centre offers three main touch surfaces: our custom Touch Table, Touch Wall and the Bioness Integrated Therapy System (BITS).

The Touch Table features a height and angle adjustable base with a 55”, 10-point multi-touch screen; basically a large height and angle adjustable tablet computer. The system features a large suite of games allowing for treatment of clients with upper extremity impairments, as well as cognitive and visual impairments. The Touch Table was designed and built through our partnership with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), our local polytechnic.

The Touch Wall is an 80”, 10-point multi-touch wall mounted touch screen that allows us to really challenge our clients’ reach, balance and visual scanning abilities. The Touch Wall features the same suite of games and software as our Touch Table.

The games used on the Touch Table and Touch Wall are custom-built in-house, through our partnership with NAIT Digital Media & IT (DMIT), or through private companies specifically for rehabilitation. They are highly customizable, allowing our therapists to custom tailor the games to each individual client’s abilities and goals.

The Bioness Integrated Therapy System (BITS) is a commercial rehabilitation touch system from Bioness that allows us to focus on more visual scanning and cognitive activities than our other touch systems. It offers a suite of activities for our clients to work on and gives our clinicians feedback about their abilities and progress.

This device, from local company Rehabtronics was originally designed for the treatment of stroke clients suffering upper limb impairment.

The system features a number of sensors which allow for the simulation of turning a key or doorknob, picking up a peg or coin, opening a jar, grip strength as well as gross range of motion.

The sensors tie back into a laptop featuring a number of different games to make therapy more fun and engaging for our clients.

One of the great benefits of the system is the hand function test. This test allows us to compare our clients versus a standard healthy individual, allowing for real time feedback on how the client is progressing and where more focus is required.

The system also offers a tele-rehabilitation feature that we hope in the future will allow us to work with clients remotely.