CoMoveIT BUILDS SMART WHEELCHAIR

CAMPUS NEWS

“Providing the greatest possible independent mobility for people with complex movement disorders”. That is the mission of KU Leuven - Bruges’ first spin-off, the result of the symbiosis of the faculties of Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences and Engineering Technology that share the campus as well as the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering. In September 2021, CoMoveIT launched a smart control system for wheelchairs that uses sensors and artificial intelligence. Prof. Elegast Monbaliu (Faculty of Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences) explains.

Did you know that one in five hundred children are born with cerebral palsy? Over 30% of them will never be able to walk independently and thus depend on a wheelchair. According to Prof. Monbaliu, we are talking about 7,000 to 8,000 people who are effectively trapped in their own bodies for life. “Their intellectual ability functions well in most cases, but motor problems restrict their freedom of movement. On top of that, because of their condition, they make a lot of uncontrolled and inconsistent movements that do not really enable them to smoothly operate an electric wheelchair with a joystick. Consequently, they rely on the help of others for most movements.”

The wheelchair control system was developed together with the team of Prof. Hans Hallez (Faculty of Engineering Technology Bruges Campus) and Prof. Jean-Marie Aerts (Faculty of Bioscience engineering) and does give these people substantial independent mobility. Because the system continuously adapts and learns, even users with complex disorders are able to control their wheelchair independently. “For them, the world literally and figuratively opens up,” Prof. Monbaliu said.

Frederik Vervenne (CEO), Sotirios Gakopoulos (PhD) and prof. Elegast Monbaliu (CCO)

© Kurt Desplenter

Cross-pollination

Elegast Monbaliu studied Kinesitherapy and Rehabilitation Sciences at KU Leuven. He has always managed to combine his clinical work in care institutions with an academic career. A cross-pollination that has always benefited both his professional and scientific work.

“In the paediatric neurorehabilitation research line at Bruges Campus, we initially developed programmes to evaluate and teach wheelchair steering skills. We found that there was a need for more user-friendly operating equipment for users with complex movement disorders. This led us to the idea of moving away from the difficult-to-handle joystick and designing a system that the user can control with the head and feet. Sensors register the pressure exerted by these body parts and steer the wheelchair in the desired direction.”

“We solved the problem of uncontrolled movements using AI,” Prof. Monbaliu continues. “That enables the control system to recognise and compensate for such movements. This makes the wheelchair move fluidly and no longer with jerks. The bottom line is that the user only needs help to get in or out of the wheelchair. All the rest he or she can do themselves”.

Customised

CoMoveIT’s control system is currently only available in a standard version. “Nothing is stopping us from adding new functionalities in term,” says Prof. Monbaliu. “Think of sensors that register stress and temperature or measure speed. Also a port for speech recognition can be built in. Through the internet, electric wheelchairs can be connected and exchange information. By means of such accessories, the user can personalise his/her wheelchair according to desire or need.”

This of course raises the question of cost. Is a high-tech wheelchair from CoMoveIT still affordable for the average user? Prof. Monbaliu believes so. “There is no significant price difference compared to other alternative control systems on the market, except for the joystick. Moreover, the intelligent wheelchair is also fully reimbursed by the health insurance fund as an innovative product.”

Health & Tech Campus

The new spin-off is housed in Bruges.Inc, the incubator through which the city and province of West Flanders are bringing health and technology into action. CoMoveIT also fits perfectly into the expansion plans of Bruges Campus and the development of a Health & Tech Campus.

Finally, do not expect a big showroom at CoMoveIT with lots of sales people and demonstration models. “The marketing, sales and distribution is in the hands of specialised companies like VIGO,” Prof. Monbaliu explains. “There, the CoMoveIT Smart is installed on existing wheelchair models. Through our CoMoveIT Academy, we do remain active in training therapists and technicians, so that they can provide the best service and guidance to users.”

Yves Persoons

www.comoveit.com