 High Tech Fall Prevention at Toronto Rehab
Balanced upon two long legs as we are, falling down from time to time is inevitable. But as we grow older, falls can become a serious health hazard, sometimes resulting in broken bones and other serious injuries. Shuffling, slower reaction times, un-balancing side-effects from medications, and general distraction are all factors that contribute to higher rates of falls among older people. Finding real solutions that mitigate the risks of falling is a big challenge and a big opportunity for businesses.
Toronto Rehab is a leader in innovation around falls prevention. "Most of our focus is...on solving very basic problems" says Geoff Fernie, vice-president of research at the renowned rehab facility. Fernie and his team of more than 25 researchers, 161 graduate students and 20 post doctoral fellows are working hard to find new ways to solve old problems. Toronto Rehab scientists and their academic-affiliated partners are already bringing products to the market to make things easier for older people, from insoles to assistive toilet bowls. And they are just getting started. A brand new research facility is being built adjacent to Toronto Rehab. When iDAPT (Intelligent Design for Adaptation, Participation and Technology) is fully operational in 2011, it will have 14 labs with 60,000 square feet of research space focused on falls prevention.
 Facilities will include subterranean, state-of-the-art simulators (on left) that will replicate stairs and slopes, snow and ice, high heat and humidity conditions, and public space conditions. In Fernie's words, it will be "a virtual reality experience that is as close to reality as possible". There will also be a Home Environment Laboratory (pictured here), "an ordinary house" for researchers to assess danger zones and design and test a new generation of high-tech, adaptive devices such as domestic robots or lifts that can be added and moved as needed to help get us out of bed or up from the toilet. We want to know "how can we adapt houses to allow people to still live there when their mobility is compromised or when their memory is going, without losing their dignity or independence," says Fernie. The IFA looks forward to reporting on some of the forthcoming innovations from Toronto Rehab. News story from healthzone.ca...read the full article here.
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