Visit by EON Reality and Teslasuit

Today, EON Reality and Teslasuit visited Department of Health Science and Technology (HST).

The aim of the visit was to discuss potential future collaboration and use of Virtual Reality (VR) in teaching and research. A demonstration of the companies’ technologies framed the discussions, and new ideas for future teaching and research methods appeared.

EON Reality demonstrated the Teslasuit that has a built-in full body haptic feedback system and can be engaged on actions, on demand, or in response to motion capture comparison.

EON Reality’s founder, CTO and researchers, and the CTO and researchers from Teslasuits participated and met with researchers, teachers, and management from HST.

Students at lecture with Obama

Saturday September 28 former US President Barack Obama visited Musikkens Hus, Aalborg, to give a talk on future leadership and entrepreneurship.

Cathrine, Kasper, Jens and Lahila, who are students working with Laboratory for Welfare Technology, Department of Health Science and Technology at Aalborg University, had the opportunity to hear the talk of Obama. They said it was very very inspiring.

Thank you to Aalborg University for giving the students the opportunity to participate in this important event.

Listening to the patient developing a heart portal

Listening to the patients: using participatory design in the development of a cardiac telerehabilitation web portal

Katrine Joensson, Camilla Melholt, John Hansen, Soeren Leth, Helle Spindler, Mathias Vassard Olsen, Birthe Dinesen

Abstract

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of all deaths worldwide. Cardiac rehabilitation is an effective approach for preventing secondary complications, but it remains a complex intervention because of the need for lifestyle changes. One solution is to employ interactive telerehabilitation or eHealth web portals. However, these have not been implemented as intended by developers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the design and usability of a cardiac telerehabilitation web portal, called the ‘HeartPortal’, for use among heart failure (HF) patients.

Methods: The HeartPortal was designed using participatory design (PD). The design process involved HF patients, their relatives, healthcare professionals (HCP), healthcare company specialists and researchers. Self-determination theory (SDT) was used to enable the design to elicit intrinsic motivation within the patients. With eHealth literacy skills in mind, the goal of the HeartPortal was to successfully target the end-users. The PD process and data collection techniques included cultural probes, workshops, participant-observation, questionnaires, and problem-solving tasks.

Results: The PD process helped us design an interactive web portal, the HeartPortal. Based on participants’ feedback, the design incorporated features such as being able to make notes and to communicate with HCP, view data from self-tracking devices in a graphic form, and to obtain information on rehabilitation in the form of text, audio, and video. More than half of those testing the HeartPortal found that it was easy to navigate, and most of the users stated that it had an excellent structure and that using it could possibly improve their condition.

Conclusions: Overall, the HeartPortal was found to be logical and easy to navigate and will now be tested in a clinical trial within the Future Patient Telerehabilitation Program.

The full article is available here.

Video communication help facilitate the work of social workers

Video communication as a tool for psychosocial support for people recovering from severe mental disorder: social workers’ experiences

Claus Ugilt Oestergaard, Birthe Dinesen

Abstract

Background: This paper focuses on a Danish social tele-rehabilitation project, which uses video technologies to support mentally ill citizens in their recovery process in their homes. The aim of the study is to explore how social workers experience using video communication as part of a tele-social-rehabilitation program aimed at citizens discharged from a psychiatric hospital and lives in their own home with mental disorders recovering from a mental illness.

Methods: The research strategy in this study is the case study method. Data collection techniques for the case study were based on triangulation of several data sources, such as analysis of relevant documents, participant observation and qualitative interviews with clients and with social workers assisting citizens in their recovery process.

Results: The social workers stated that video technology gave them the opportunity to make changes in their working practices with the citizens. They also felt they were better able to meet the citizens’ need to improve their everyday lives. The social workers found that video technology was less intrusive than a physical visit to the citizen’s home. The technology helps to promote the client’s recovery process.

Conclusions: The social workers who used video technology in a tele-social-rehabilitation program experienced a community of practice, changes in their work routine and changes in the way they carried out social rehabilitation for clients in their recovery following discharge from mental hospital.

The full article is available here.

TTRN’s 3rd interdisciplinary PhD course, Odense

The Transatlantic Telehealth Research Network (TTRN) is having its 3rd interdisciplinary PhD course, “Research Methods in Innovation Processes for Digital Health Technology“, hosted by Kristian Kidholm, CIMT at Odense University Hospital.

There are PhD students from all over the world participating.

The Faculty at the course is from UC Berkeley, UC Davis, Center for Connected Health Boston, DTU, OUH, SDU, Aarhus University and AAU.

We are looking forward to some exciting days in Odense and to help the new research colleagues moving forward with their research projects.

Bevilling fra Hjerteforeningen til telerehabilitering af patienter efter TAVI operation

Laboratoriet for Velfærdsteknologi – Telesundhed & Telerehabilitering på Aalborg Universitet har i samarbejde med Hjerte-Lungekirurgisk afdeling samt Kardiologisk afdeling, Aalborg Universitetshospital modtaget bevilling fra Hjerteforeningen til studiet “Future Patient – telerehabilitation af patienter efter en TAVI operation”.

Barbara Brocki, som er fysioterapeut, PhD vil lede projektet, som en del af et postdoc studie. Vi ser frem til samarbejdet.

Læs om bevillingen på fysio.dk.

Dagsformen på folketings-politikere i valgkamp

TV avisen og Birthe Dinesen har tjekket dagsformen på folketings-politikere i valgkamp. Morten Østergaard fra det Radikale Venstre og Mette Abildgaard fra det Konservative Folkeparti var friske på at lade sig “overvåge” et døgn ift skridt, puls og søvn – klik på billedet for at se resultatet:

Dagsform Folketingspolitiker Valgkamp