News 2011

This month, SilverFit proudly presents a new product: the SilverFit Newton. This is a virtual therapy system that can be used with strength/power training equipment such as pulleys, legpresses, shoulderpresses, etcetera.

We will soon update our website with more information on this product. Until then, please have a look at our demo video.

The June 2011 SilverFit software update has been released today for Dutch customers and will be released in the coming week for our international customers. The new version adds a number of features and updates. We've listed the main ones:

1. The SilverFit now includes a set of 5 commonly used objective measurement tests for aging adults: the timed up and go, functional reach, single sit-stand, 5x sit-stand, and timed sit-stand. These tests have been streamlined and tested for easy use by physiotherapists.

2. A new ADL activity has been added: the city walk in 3d

3. The detail menu's have been streamlined and simplified so they are even easier to understand and use

4. The manual is now avalailable online; each exercise has a button to show the manual on screen. In addition, a new screensaver will show movies of the exercises if the SilverFit is not in use, so patients and therapists will be inspired to try out new options.

5. The camera registration functions better in difficult circumstances, e.g. when the therapist is close to the patient or in small rooms

6. We have also added a lot of suggestions from our customers, such as adding extra movement options in the Bingo game, adding more "simplified graphics" options, and many more.

7. We have improved multi-language and translation support. The SilverFit is now available in English, German, French, Dutch, Greek, Classical Chinese and Simplified Chinese.

SilverFit is busy working on the new update, which we plan to release in May. One of the new elements is a 3D version of the walking game (A Stroll). Compared to the 2D game, this exercise is much more realistic, which makes it a better functional ADL (Activity of Daily Life) training. Especially crossing the road has become a much more immersive experience.

We are currently testing this new exercise at a couple of our customers.

SilverFit has been nominated as one of the three remaining contenders for the Brainport Health Innovation Award. The award ceremony will take place on March 17th in Eindhoven, when 7-time Olympic medal winner Pieter van den Hoogenband will announce the final winner.

The Brainport Health Innovation award is awarded to the most innovative idea, product, or way of working in health care. The other nominees are:

Qtis BV, with a living heart valve made of the patients tissue. This innovation limits the required number of operation procedures to just one, and eliminates the need for anticoagulants.

Salusion BV, with a sensor sticker that indicates the amount of fluid in incontinence materials. This provides comfort to the patient, and saves time for nursing staff.

In March, SilverFit will launch a new product for virtual therapy. This system can be integrated with existing training equipment such as pulleys, abductors, legpresses and other resistance training devices. A sensor is built into the existing equipment, so that it can communicate with our computer system. This allows us to perform measurements as well as run games and exercises.

We will demonstrate the system at the fairs in Leipzig and Nürnberg and will gladly arrange a visit in case of serious interest.

We have started a research project together with composer and percussionist Niels van der Leest into games for dementia patients. The current SilverFit games are well suited to patients in the early phases of dementia. However, as the disease progresses, most people lose the ability to interpret visual feedback on a screen. This makes using the games for rehabilitation in memory care quite challenging.

Research shows that the ability to interpret sound, in particular rhytm, is more innate and can often remain functional in advanced stages of dementia. This makes it possible to activate people and help them perform intensive exercises using interactive music. On the basis of this research, we expect to be able to develop one or even multiple games that are better suited for psychogeriatric/memory care.

This research is co-funded by a grant from LiveWIRE, Syntens.

The SilverFit team wishes you a happy new year!

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