The Tovertafel, that is Dutch for”magic table”, is an award-winning innovation from the Netherlands currently being used in the UK.
It Was made by former corporate lawyer John Ramsay, whose father was diagnosed with early onset dementia in his 50s, when John was 12.
John Quit his job in the City to make and develop the instrument to help those with dementia interact with other individuals. The Tovertafel comes with a ceiling-mounted projector with an infrared sensor that projects simple light-animated games on to a surface.
Aimed at those with Mid-to-late phase dementia and kids who suffer from learning problems and autism, users interact with the games — that include bursting bubbles, catching fish and bouncing a beach ball independently or with relatives or carers.
It aims to encourage instinctive involvement and stimulating Physical and social activity. It costs from #6,250 and you’re going to find it being used in around 500 care homes and hospitals.
Staff In Hollyfields Care Home, that provides care for people with complex dementia wants, have seen significant improvements in residents’ interaction because the debut of the Tovertafel.
Michael Butler, activities coordinator at the home in Kidderminster, Worcs, says:”The impact this gear has had in a brief space of time has been incredible.
“Residents who didn’t often join in conversation or were more prone to becoming agitated are becoming more engaged.
“Also, many of our residents have shown absolute delight when playing with these games.”
Smart inhalers
Research suggests that only half asthma Patients have their condition under control and as many as 94% don’t use inhalers correctly.
Bluetooth-enabled smart inhalers could change all that. A small device, attached to a normal inhaler, records the date and time of every dose and whether it was properly administered.
This information is then delivered to the individual’s smartphone.
Clinical trials demonstrate that those utilizing the intelligent inhaler apparatus used less reliever medication and had more reliever-free days.
Programs Also alert patients when they enter high pollution areas, so help asthmatics prevent places that risk making their condition worse.
“The UK has one of the worst asthma death rates in all of Europe and approximately three individuals die from the condition every day,” explains Krisnah Poinasamy, external affairs manager at Asthma UK.
“A huge Matter Is that doctors and nurses can not always identify patients who are most at risk of having a life-threatening asthma attack, however, intelligent inhalers could revolutionise asthma care for the 5.4 million people in the UK with the condition.
“Smart inhalers are possible game-changers As they monitor how well someone is using their inhaler then send this data to a GP to help identify patients who are at most risk of getting an asthma attack.”
FindAir launched Europe’s first commercially available smart inhaler before this season. Though it’s not yet
On the NHS, it’s been recommended from the NHS Long Term Plan.
NuCath catheter
Indwelling Urinary catheters are long term devices used to drain the bladder, but are a significant source of serious infections, affecting 500,000 people in Britain every year.
The estimated cost to the NHS is nearly #2billion yearly — and illnesses cause untold distress to individuals.
Materials Scientist Nawar Al-Zebari, 28, from Cambridge, seen that the difficulty first-hand when a relative who was undergoing cancer treatment developed illnesses.
He found out that the layout and material Of the standard Foley catheter had barely altered since it was initially developed in the 1930s and set about making an upgrade.
The NuCath is your outcome.
Nawar says:”I had wanted to create something using intelligent materials for some time.
“When Somebody in my family became sick, I saw how the catheter system could be improved. I am hoping by improving it I can help patients overcome their principal health problem without the added threat of a urinary tract disease.”
The NuCath (UroLogic) utilizes”shape memory” to alter shape inside the bladder to facilitate greater drainage, reducing the possibility of disease by up to 50%.
It is expected to launch in the united kingdom in the next two to three years.
Pillo pill dispenser
The aim of Pillo would be to ensure elderly patients don’t forget to take their medication.
It is A frequent problem as a recent NICE review discovered — between a third and half of all medications are taken incorrectly, especially among people taking many prescriptions, a problem that costs the NHS #300million annually.
The Alexa-style smart helper dispenses Medication as it”sees” the face and”hears” the voice of the user at set times through the day.
If, however, the medication is not taken, Pillo will awake the Patient’s carer, and set a live video link between patient and carer to find out why.
It’ll be available online in the US from September for around $400 plus a monthly fee.
It is estimated it will be rolled out in the united kingdom from next year.
Robot nurses
In Japan, human-like robots are already being used as health care workers in homes for the elderly.
Larger Robotic machines are utilized to carry out laborious physical tasks like shifting patients, while smaller interactive robots are being used to combat loneliness and inactivity in the older population.
Advanced models have additional sensors and apparatus including touchscreens.
While Many elderly men and women favor to give spoken commands to the robot, for all those who have age-related hearing loss or vision impairment, using the choice to utilize the touchscreen is vital.
It is likely that artificial intelligence is going to be implemented in clinical settings globally in the not too distant future.
In CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2019, Samsung introduced and shown Bot Care — a 2ft-tall robotic nurse on brakes.
“She” (it has a female voice) has a range of detectors — if you hold a fingertip to her face she can read blood pressure and pulse and then inform you — via language — exactly what your reading is and whether it is ordinary.
Other Sensors can track breathing rate — even while the user is asleep — and temperature, and provides solutions accordingly, such as playing music to ease stress.
A spatial awareness sensor detects changes From the consumer’s height, indicating a fall, and requires a specified emergency contact by phone.
Meanwhile Moxi, a socially Smart hospital robot manufactured by Diligent Robotics, has gone into service at three hospitals in Texas, US, as a member of a pilot programme designed to free up nursing staff.
“Almost 30 percent of our tasks are To fetch items,” explained Phebe Lyepe, a nurse in Texas Health at Dallas, in which the trial took place. “However, all you need to do is press your voice button and phone for Moxi.”
During trials, Moxi Delivered admission kits to drop-off boxes out each individual room and laboratory specimens to the laboratory, and carried heavy soiled linen bags in patient rooms to a cleaning area.
Moxi has been adopted in hospitals across the state.
Mitt, the wearable prosthetic
Around 35 percent of amputees do not use their prosthetic limbs since they’re uncomfortable, awkward and frustrating, so say two young engineering graduates who intend to change that statistic with their below-elbow prosthetic.
There’s currently a Massive split in the prosthetics Market, with heavy, non-adjustable, medieval-looking devices at the same end, and eye-wateringly pricey, hi-tech bionic arms at the other, explains Ben Lakey, 27, that co-founded UK startup Mitt Wearables, collectively with Nate Macabuag, 24.
Unlike average prosthetic arms Which come in two components (the socket, which is worn with the consumer, and a device like a replacement hand on the finish ), their creation — the Mitt Arm — has been slipped on like a sleeve but includes rigid supports to give it structure into the lower”arm”.
It combines elements from sportswear and shoe layout to create a Light, simple, customisable and economical user to that an ever-growing assortment of interchangeable tools (e.g. pencil, knife, fork etc) can be attached.
“Users can fit the prosthesis themselves and are immediately then able to cut veggies or draw,” explains Ben.
Alex Lewis, a 39-year-old quadruple amputee, was the first man to test the Mitt, and may immediately write his name on a sheet of paper — a job so straightforward yet one he was unable to do with standard prosthetics.
“We aim to market the Mitt for the price of a nice pair of trainers rather than a car,” says Ben.
The Company achieves the lower costs by using cheaper, durable and elastic fabrics combined with a cheaper manufacturing cost, making it far less expensive compared to other prosthetics.
“The clinical trials Are now finished accordingly, by October, those interested in trying the Mitt is going to be able to sign up to our waiting list
“We shall initially be offering the Mitt at a trial sale cost. That Will enable us to get better feedback because more people are most likely to use it.”
The innovation is a life-changer for Alex.
He states:”I really enjoy wearing my Mitt. My son and I will play, Butter his toast, work in my iPad and enjoy a glass of wine — small things that mean a lot.”
The business aims to launch global next year also, finally, make the Mitt available on the NHS.
“The Current NHS system for measuring and fitting prosthetics is complex And laborious,” says Ben. “Mitt can save both money and time.”
