Grant: Engage Plus Grants Program

Computer vision technologies have become widely employed in the biomedical domain. Such technology is preferred for efficiency and precision in many applications, especially for body detection and movement tracking. The objective of this project is to finalize development of the Mobility Assessment Tool (MAT) for assessment of mobility deterioration following mild brain injury. This is a validation of the algorithms for our non-invasive, unique, and purely objective computer vision video-tool. This tool was recently advanced from an early laboratory-based beta stage (initial Engage grant with Dr. Robert Allison in the Dept. of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science) to one with upgraded hardware that accurately tracked humans (our previous Engage grant). The system has now gone from a prototype to a validated operational product able to perform a completely automated Modified Tinetti gate/balance test on adults. In this phase of the project we will finalize the algorithms of the developed product by comparing its performance with our own functional assessment tools in young adults who have suffered concussion. Validating the functionality of this device, in particular its ability to accurately discriminate healthy from clinically anomalous posture and gait, will allow PhD Associates to advance a patent application and approach investors for commercial development. PhD Associates will also be able to approach practitioners with an easy, precise, and low cost tool to estimate fall risk and incapacity from gait and balance (mobility) measurements. This work is important for the advancement in medical kinematics which will impact Canadian research in the field of rehabilitation, diagnosis, and function assessment. Another target market for the MAT is the personal injury law and the insurance industry, both of which would benefit from simple, computerized quick assessment of functional mobility resulting from an accident. This project is a partnership between York University and PhD Associates, the expected duration of the project is 6 months.