At Sheba Medical Center, We Are Proud To Launch, For The First Time In Israel, A New System Of 'Intergrated Reality'
The installation of a revolutionary system has been completed at the Rehabilitation Hospital at Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer.
CAREN - (Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment) is a multi-purpose, multi-sensory system for diagnosis, rehabilitation, evaluation and recording. It records a person's ability to balance and controls movement. The system works in real time and enables the creation of a range of experiences in a controlled environment that can be repeated using the principles of virtual reality technologies.
CAREN is made up of a moving platform, which allows the manipulation of the ground a person stands on while the motion capture system measures and records the person's movements. This places the person at the core of a feedback loop that can be predicted.
The unique characteristics of the system enable the simulation of familiar surroundings and moreover, creation of situations which do not occur naturally, for example, one in which the person controls and influences the ground he is standing on in a dynamic and active way. This type of situation requires his full concentration and a full awareness of stability, balance and movement. Thus, new possibilities that have heretofore gone un-researched open up before the researcher or the patiant.
For the caregivers, this is a rare opportunity to work with the patients on new strategies of movement and balance as well as changing and improving existing models thereby diminishing the time required for an exact diagnosis and successful rehabilitation whether referring to a patient who stands on both feet, a patient in a wheelchair or fitting or adapting to a prosthesis.
The people who could benefit from the CAREN system are:
- Those suffering from movement disorders such as: Parkinson's Disease, stroke victims, multiple sclerosis and others.
- Lower limb amputees: improvement in fitting prosthesis, improved performance in relearning to walk and acquiring better skills (for example in sport and leisure activities).
- Spinal cord injuries (paraplegics and quadriplegics): Improved mobility in challenging environments.
Behavioral treatments
Treatment of phobias such as using an elevator, fear of flying, acrophobia etc. as well as past trauma treatment - re-experiencing the traumatic episode in a controlled and safe environment accompanied by a caregiver.
According to Professor Shlomo Noy, Director of the Rehabilitation Hospital, "The Integrated Reality will enable simulation for patients in a safe environment, to teach them to walk and to balance their limitations of movement while receiving feedback from the system. The system is similar to any simulation system (like a pilot's) and permits a patient greater familiarity with his limitations."
CAREN is a development of the MOTEK company
