A stroke survivor plays a video game that also delivers small electrical pulses to their arm muscles, helping them relearn how to reach and grasp. This matters because stroke often leaves people with lasting weakness or paralysis in one arm. Current rehabilitation is repetitive and slow, and many patients do not get enough practice to drive recovery. The V-Health system combines two technologies—functional electrical stimulation, which activates muscles directly, and extended reality, which turns exercises into immersive games. The idea is that patients will do more repetitions because the games are engaging, and that the electrical stimulation will improve the quality of each movement. If this research succeeds, the system could become an accessible, at-home training tool that reduces time spent in hospital and frees up clinicians for other tasks. The project builds on existing patented technology and has already been tested with stroke and spinal cord injury patients, who gave positive feedback. The next step is a pilot clinical investigation to assess feasibility and early signs of efficacy. The company behind the system is working toward CE and FDA certification.
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This project is focused on developing a new technology for upper limb neurorehabilitation combining functional electrical stimulation (FES) and extended reality (XR) - **v-health**. We propose that XR will improve engagement and motivation through immersive gamification, in addition to improved task performance through the use of FES. Together, they will enable an increase in movement repetition, which will improve motor learning and ultimately greater functional recovery. The unique combination of these methods, developed by Valkyrie Industries, can close the brain-to-movement feedback loop, further improving rehabilitation efficiency, reducing time in the hospital, and freeing up the clinician's resources. This project builds upon Valkyrie's patented technology, applied previously to improving fitness routines for healthy individuals. We have been working with therapists from King's College London, Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Hobbs Rehabilitation and many others, to quickly iterate on games and software and develop technology that brings most value both for the stroke survivors and to therapists. Last year, we carried out first in human investigation / user experience study with stroke and spinal cord injury patients and received positive reviews, and now are looking to optimise the software package and run the pilot stage clinical investigation (early feasibility & traditional feasibility investigations) and explore the efficacy of our system. Valkyrie is supported by one of the largest manufacturers of wearable devices in the world, and on the way to obtain CE/FDA certification. Valkyrie's track record in delivering innovation together with the KCL's academic and GSTT's clinical experience ensures the project will bring value to the patients and clinics ASAP. If successful, this project could provide accessible, entertaining, additional arm training for stroke survivors to improve recovery and thereby their independence and quality of life.
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