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gsport, a healthcare IT physical science company is now working to make in-roads into the Indian orthopaedic, sports medicine and stroke rehabilitation market to diagnose postural instability and muscle coordination defects. The condition is seen to impact across age-groups.
The Tokyo-based company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-based solution. The Movement Intelligent Processing System (MIPS) is the new generation rehabilitation system. It provides quantitative evaluation of a post stroke patient’s motor functions. It enables recovery by engaging patients with interactive gaming technologies.
The other offering of the company is the ‘Yugami-ru’ used for posture assessment. This is a distortion analyser for postural instability and muscle balance. The software enables image display of the distorted body with evaluated scores and takes only 3 minutes for an assessment. Following this, doctors and physiotherapists can provides the right advice and solutions for recommendable training, exercise and fitness.
“There is a science behind posture. Our technology deals with physical science. Hence it is indispensable at orthopaedic and neurology clinics/ hospitals apart from sports training centres and fitness clubs which require real-time information on patient movement. A suitable rehabilitation scheme is tailored for each patient and embedded in the system. The option allows the therapist to design and monitor the progress of the patients. For instance, poor posture reports suggest potential future risk. The data is reconstructed in a 3D virtual training space and enables remote health monitoring, Atsushi Kuroda, CEO and Founder, gsport Inc., told Pharmabiz on the sidelines of the Japan-India innovation dialogue.
The software was developed at gsport development centre in Bengaluru and the first beta version was transferred to its Tokyo centre. The sensors record the precise motion of the body to analyse the muscle tension and sloppiness. It can simulate muscles state in side posture, upright stance and crouched pose. While this technology has found acceptance among healthcare and fitness providers in Japan, we see India as a potential market to handle rehabilitation and posture related injuries, he added.
Currently India lacks subjective assessment of posture and muscle coordination for those visiting health centres and gym instead there is only physical checks. So our technology detects even a slightly imbalanced body posture using a digital camera and generates the reports. A body score is provided for improvement. The technology of the muscle simulation detects the tensed muscles which need to be relaxed and are coded in red. Blue indicates loose muscles requiring strengthening exercises. Qualified trainers and doctors can prescribe the appropriate training to rectify the conditions, he said.
Back in Japan, 1,000 clients use the technology across hospitals, wellness clinics and elderly care centres. We have observed that the Indian workforce is on fast paced lifestyle mode and lack the required exercise which is seen to result in high degree of muscle and postural problems. Therefore our marketing strategy is evolved around preventive care and sportsmen. We are also keen on speaking to the physiotherapists hired by corporate companies about this AI technology to ensure Indian employees are able to maintain good postural practices to prevent injuries, said gsport chief Kuroda.
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