Joint ventures reveal health benefits of research

Helping older people to better manage their medical conditions in their own homes is the aim of the SMILE project, a research collaboration between NetwellCASALA at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT), the HSE, Louth County Council and Trinity College Dublin, together with the Caredoc out-of-hours family doctor service.

Funded under the Sláintecare Integration Fund, SMILE is a self-care programme to empower people with multiple chronic conditions to get appropriate care at the right time.

SMILE uses the ProAct technology platform, developed by DkIT and Trinity as part of the Horizon 2020 ProAct project, alongside clinical triage provided by nurses in Caredoc to support older people with single or multiple chronic conditions to self-manage their health and wellbeing at home.

At present there are 150 patients with conditions including diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure and heart disease, taking part in SMILE. They use digital devices, including connected blood pressure monitors, blood glucometers, weight scales as well as activity and sleep trackers to monitor their symptoms and wellbeing at home. Through the ProAct care app, they can review their data, set goals and receive education on their conditions and their management.

Limb-powered exoskeleton

Aiding rehabilitation with the use of a powered exoskeleton is the aim of a research partnership led by Letterkenny IT researchers in association with the No Barriers Foundation. The project is examining the use of a state-of-the-art full lower-limb powered exoskeleton known as the Ekso GT on energy expenditure, muscular contraction and angular movement of the lower limbs and quality of life within neurological rehabilitation.

The main mobility option for patients with neurological impairments has traditionally been the wheelchair. However, a powered exoskeleton which helps patients stand in an upright position and walk has proven physiological advantages. Psychological benefits include improved cardiovascular fitness and enhanced mood, sleep quality, self-satisfaction and self-confidence, as well as a reduction in stress levels.

This novel study integrates the fields of sports science, data analysis, technology and physiotherapy. The study aims to assess the energy demands of walking with the exoskeleton, with an end goal of improving overall health and fitness among individuals with neurological impairments.

The project may also enable clinicians to identify an appropriate amount of exercise to prescribe for patients using the Ekso GT in order to elicit favourable cardiovascular adaptations and enhance patients’ walking ability. This in turn, may enhance overall health, reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular or metabolic diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle, as well as enhancing both physical and mental health and improving quality of life.

Industrial product designer Marie Casey worked with the Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) Nimbus Technology Gateway to develop a new solution for people suffering from difficult vein access (DVA). This condition results in heightened patient anxiety and suffering and can delay vital treatment due to the multiple attempts required to access a vein.

The EziVein device is a medical aid designed to enhance the visibility of a vein to reduce the time and trauma for a blood draw or IV cannulation in the 35 per cent of patients who suffer from DVA. The disposable device is affordable and user-friendly and requires no maintenance or mains power. Crucially important for busy clinical settings and hospital environments, it allows procedures to be carried out by a single staff member instead of two.

“The EziVein development process with the Nimbus Technology Gateway has been a wonderful experience,” says Casey. “The team has been enthusiastic and keen to deliver a high-quality solution from the word go. EziVein will now realise its first serious working prototype accompanied with relevant design and CAD material. EziVein used an Enterprise Ireland-funded innovation voucher with Nimbus and got so much value from it. We will certainly work with Nimbus again. A big thanks to them for their amazing efforts, constructive feedback and extensive knowledge.”

Implant scanning

Another Nimbus project has seen a team from the CIT Technology Gateway collaborate with healthcare information technology company SteriTrack on the redesign of a complex piece of hardware.

One of the company’s products is a QR code reader (above), used for scanning medical implants in operating theatres. The scanner records data on which implants are used for which patients and delivers it to the hospital’s back-end computer system, which in turn updates patient and other records. Nimbus was contracted to redesign the hardware and the camera and embed artificial intelligence and machine learning software. Another task was to produce a more reliable unit with an 80 per cent reduction in manufacturing costs.

To date, three prototypes have been built and the artificial intelligence and machine learning software has been developed. The target cost reduction of 80 per cent will be exceeded, thus delivering additional profits to the company as well as the ability to expand the technology into different domains.

Scanner project

“Nimbus has done an exemplary technical job and also guided us very effectively through the funding models on this scanner project,” says SteriTrack vice-president of operations for EMEA Alan Gormley. “We hope to continue to work with Nimbus well in to the future.”

The Nimbus Gateway at CIT is part of the Technology Gateway Network funded by Enterprise Ireland.

Helping farmers to adopt healthier lifestyles is the overall objective of a major research project involving the National Centre for Men’s Health (NCMH) at IT Carlow, Teagasc, the Irish Heart Foundation, Glanbia Ireland, the Health Service Executive and UCD college of health and agricultural sciences.

The project involved a study of farmers’ health which found that 74 per cent of male farmers have four, or more, risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This means they are three times more likely to have an acute cardiac event, such as a stroke or heart attack, compared with those with fewer risk factors. In all, 75 per cent of all farmers participating in the research were advised to visit their GP to get further support and advice.

The lead author of the study, Diana van Doorn, a Walsh PhD scholar at Teagasc and the NCMH, says that while the top-line figures paint a worrying picture there are positives. “We found that the majority of farmers reported having visited their GP in the past year, fewer farmers smoke or drink compared to the general population and farmers, by virtue of their occupation, get a lot of physical activity,” she says. “There are, however, areas of concern identified by the study.”

“We have seen already through the Covid-19 crisis that one out of every two patients presenting to intensive care units have serious heart conditions, with more men than women becoming critically ill,” adds Marese Damery, health check manager with the Irish Heart Foundation.

“This research has shown that farmers have multiple heart and stroke risk factors and really highlights the importance of providing farmers, and men in general, with local access to health checks and interventions programmes. We hope that by continuing to work in collaboration, and leading the health checks, we can do this.”

Declan Doyle, vice-president for development and research at IT Carlow, highlights the importance of collaboration in this area. “The findings underline the importance of working in partnership to engage and support farmers to take increased responsibility for their own health. The success of this novel and innovative approach in engaging a so-called ‘hard to reach’ group, can serve as an important template for engaging other groups of men in other workplace settings.”

The baseline data collected during the study is now being analysed to identify the best ways of supporting farmers to adopt and maintain healthier lifestyles.