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"Discovery Files" Features from the National Science Foundation
"Swat Team"
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WORKING OUT THE BUGS... THE "DISCOVERY FILES": NEW ADVANCES IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. REHABILITATION FROM A STROKE CAN BE AN ARDUOUS, LONELY, AND OFTEN-DIFFICULT REGIMEN TO KEEP UP WITH. RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ARE TEAMING WITH THE VIRTUAL REALITY MEDICAL CENTER, IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT DEVICE THAT COULD GIVE STROKE SURVIVORS A NEW TOOL TO HELP IN THEIR RECOVERY. IT USES VIRTUAL REALITY FOR SOME VERY REAL RESULTS: ONCE THE PATIENT DONS ITS HEADGEAR, HE ENCOUNTERS VIRTUAL FLYING INSECTS. THE BASIC PRINCIPLE IS ABOUT THE RANGE OF MOTION NEEDED TO GET AT THE LITTLE BUGGERS. IN THIS VIRTUAL GAME--AS THE PATIENT BECOMES ENGAGED IN THE IMAGINARY WORLD OF "WHACK-A-BUG"--THERAPY SUDDENLY SEEMS LESS LIKE, WELL, THERAPY: THE BUGS GET FARTHER AWAY, AS THE PATIENT PROGRESSES--AND THAT PROGRESS CAN BE MONITORED. A SIDE-BENEFIT OF THIS TYPE OF PHYSICAL-THERAPY "GAME" IS THE FUN FACTOR: PATIENTS MAY BE MORE LIKELY TO DO THE ROUTINES, AND FAMILY MEMBERS MAY BE ABLE TO JOIN IN, AS WELL--ADDRESSING THE LONELINESS THAT'S OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH RECOVERY. WHEN IT'S FULLY DEVELOPED, THE DEVICE WILL INITIALLY APPEAR IN PHYSICAL-THERAPY CLINICS--THEN, EVENTUALLY, AS A TAKE-HOME VERSION. REACHING OUT TO SWAT A TINY BUG COULD HAVE A BIG EFFECT ON HELPING STROKE SURVIVORS. THE "DISCOVERY FILES" COVERS PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOU! LEARN MORE AT "N-S-F"-DOT-GOV--OR ON THEIR PODCAST.
For additional "Discovery Files" features from the National Science Foundation, click here.
