The Intersection of Technology & Stroke Rehabilitation
In a partnership since 2023, Valkyrie Industries has joined forces with esteemed academics from King’s College London, Dr. Marco Davare and Dr. Ulrike Hammerbeck, to pioneer an innovative approach to stroke rehabilitation. This collaboration heralds a new era in the treatment of upper limb impairments post-stroke, leveraging muscle haptics and XR technologies to enhance recovery outcomes and transform lives.
At the heart of this partnership lies a visionary project aimed at developing an immersive therapeutic platform tailored specifically for upper limb stroke rehabilitation. Combining our expertise in haptics and XR with the academic research of King’s College London in neurology, this initiative holds the promise of revolutionising traditional rehabilitation methods.
Central to the project's innovation is the integration of functional electrical stimulation (FES) with extended reality (XR) and hand-tracking technologies. This fusion creates a personalised and engaging therapy experience for stroke patients, with a primary focus on improving wrist extension—the key to restoring functionality and independence.
The immersive rehabilitation platform being developed represents a technological shift in stroke rehabilitation. By harnessing the power of our patented device, the eir Bands, which seamlessly blend muscle stimulation and motion tracking in virtual reality, the project bridges the gap between consumer technology and medical innovation.
Together with King’s College London, we are committed to leveraging clinically proven FES technology for lower limbs while introducing XR elements for upper limb rehabilitation. Through real-time Bluetooth connectivity and immersive visual cues, patients are transported into a virtual environment where natural object manipulation and embodied learning feedback foster higher engagement and more effective outcomes.
Dr. Marco Davare and Dr. Ulrike Hammerbeck, renowned experts in physiotherapy and neural control of movement, respectively, bring invaluable insights to the project. Their expertise, coupled with access to stroke survivors through research volunteer registries, ensures that the platform is grounded in scientific rigour and responsive to the needs of its end-users.
The goal of this collaboration is to scale this effective stroke rehabilitation, enhancing not only recovery but also the quality of life for survivors. By providing accessible, entertaining, and personalised training, the project aims to empower individuals on their journey to greater well-being.
Valkyrie Industries and King’s College London continue to push the boundaries of innovation for the future of stroke rehabilitation.