Animations aid mobility in elderly

The £1.5m project will see engineers, scientists, designers and healthcare professionals from across the UK collaborate with members of the public to convert biomechanical data into simple, computer-generated animations to help patients visualise how their bodies move.

The technology will enable healthcare professionals to communicate movement information that was previously only available in graph or table form, helping patients to improve their own mobility and prevent injury.

The system is also expected to improve feedback of results and help diagnose patients’ physical problems in complex conditions.

The four-year project, led by Strathclyde University, is being developed in partnership with The Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow University, Newcastle University, Southampton University and the NHS in the west of Scotland.

The project is funded by the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing programme, a cross-research council initiative.

Lead researcher Prof Phil Rowe of Strathclyde University’s Department of Bioengineering, said: ‘A cornerstone of many physical rehabilitation techniques is a biomechanical understanding of the problem and its solution.