Wearable Technologies for Inferring and Enhancing Vestibular Balance Function

The vestibular organs detect head movement and are involved in the coordination of standing balance. With balance problems being a common and expensive healthcare cost internationally, there is a growing need for new diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices that target vestibular balance function. In particular, a wearable device that could be used outside the clinic could provide a convenient, low-cost alternative. Here we explore the feasibility of integrating Electrical Vestibular Stimulation (EVS) – a relatively new technique for probing vestibularspecific balance function – with the commercially available head motion sensor from PROTXX. The wearable technology we are co-developing will enable frequent, accurate, and mobile assessments of vestibular function, as well as provide a novel therapeutic approach for enhancing balance control in patients at risk of falling (analogous to a vestibular prosthetic).

Faculty Supervisor:

Ryan Peters

Student:

Christopher James Banman

Partner:

PROTXX

Discipline:

Kinesiology

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Calgary