News Release

Walking on tiles

Virtual reality device helps Parkinson's patients walk better

Peer-Reviewed Publication

American Society for Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

HAIFA, Israel and NEW YORK, N.Y., May 16, 2002 – A novel virtual reality device improves the speed and steadiness of walking in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and stroke patients.

The device, developed by Professor Yoram Baram of the Faculty of Computer Science at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, consists of a wearable Walkman-sized computer with a tiny piece that clips onto the user’s eyeglasses. It operates on the theory that optical images of fixed objects help people stabilize themselves. Current systems provide a static visual display or perform a constant motion that is independent of the user’s motion; the tiled-floor image in the new device responds to the user’s motion, so it is stationary when the user is and moves and turns when the user does. The system even lets people navigate rough terrain or stairs.

A healthy person’s brain provides signals that help with balance, coordination and orientation. But people with PD, some stroke victims, and others with movement disorders lack these normal biofeedback mechanisms. Prof. Baram’s patent-pending invention provides artificial images that trigger biofeedback, aiding the complex set of motions involved in walking.

"The patient sees a picture of the virtual floor displayed on one eye. He is able to make distinctions between the virtual floor and the obstacles. All patients do it without any problem and without special training," says Prof. Baram. He adds that his device "does not obstruct the field of view, so the patient gets a full view of the world."

Prof. Baram conceived the idea for the device more than a decade ago when he developed visual imagery technology for NASA to help low-flying helicopter pilots navigate. He made the jump to medical applications after learning that Parkinson’s patients walked better on tiled floors, which provide continuous, stabilizing visual information.

Prof. Baram collaborated on clinical testing of the device with physicians at Rambam Medical Center in Israel. Testing more than 40 PD and stroke patients aged 46 to 82 showed that all patients experienced improvement in their ability to walk while wearing the device. The patients’ gait speed increased by 26 percent on average, while the average stride lengthened by 31 percent. Some who wore the apparatus for as little as 30 minutes found that the improvement in their gait remained for some time, even after removing it. Footage of patients using Prof. Baram’s invention provides real-life testimony to its utility. A woman with late-stage PD (stage four on a scale of one to five, with five being the most severe) usually walks in rigid, tentative baby steps. However, when she wears Prof. Baram’s device, her gait looks almost normal. The equipment may allow her and other patients to stay physically active, which is known to slow the progression of PD, Prof. Baram says.

The research team is working on miniaturizing the device and completing more clinical trials. They are also raising venture capital to support development and marketing. When the system comes to market, Prof. Baram expects it to be about the size of a metal cigarette lighter and cost about $200.

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Note to media: For an interview with Prof. Baram, a digital version of the footage described, or for a copy of the study on which the device is based, please contact Martha Molnar at (212) 307-2580 or at martha@ats.org.


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