News
Virtual clinic to benefit LUTS sufferers
The world's first virtual assessment clinic in the field of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) has been launched.
ELAROS 24/7 is an innovative new way of carrying out initial assessment as well as the long term management and monitoring of patients with LUTS.
D4D awards funding to develop ideas
THREE innovative projects in the field of continence management have been awarded a total of £35,000 to help accelerate the development of their devices.
Devices for Dignity (D4D), the organisation which delivers technology solutions to support people with long-term conditions preserving their dignity and independence, identified continence management as the theme of this year's Proof of Concept Competition.
The three challenge themes set were:
- Tackling continence for people with dementia
- Helping children and/or young adults with continence problems
- Self-help tools for prevention or management of urinary incontinence
Tackling ageing continence through theory, tools and technology
The Bristol Urological Institute (BUI) BioMed has been part of a consortium working together on a £1.2 million project to find ways of reducing the impact of continence difficulties for older people.
This interdisciplinary project, entitled 'Tackling Ageing Continence through Theory, Tools and Technology' (TACT3), was led by the Brunel Institute for Bioengineering (BIBS) and funded by a Research Council New Dynamics of Ageing programme grant. The project started in November 2008 and has recently been completed.
D4D project presented at international nephrology conference
D4D team members from St. James' Hospital, Leeds, have implemented a novel approach to body composition monitoring which allows many more patients to benefit from this objective assessment of haemodialysis patients' fluid status. This helps ensure that the right amount of fluid is removed from the patient’s body during their treatment.
Partnerships with national charities announced
Devices for Dignity (D4D) is pleased to announce that it has entered partnerships with two national charities as part of its commitment to Patient and Public Involvement.
The fundamental aim of D4D is to deliver technology solutions to support people with long term conditions – and crucial to this aim is the ability to communicate and engage with the end users of the technology.
As part of our commitment to patient and public involvement, D4D has formed strategic partnerships with key charities operating in the same areas of healthcare in order to explore unmet clinical needs direct from the people who are best placed to identify them - patients and carers.
Paralympic business summit success
Two companies collaborating with D4D have taken part in a major global business summit on Advances in Assistive Medical Technologies as part of the Paralympic programme.
The global summit, which was organised by United Kingdom Trade and Investment (UKTI) and took place at British Business Embassy Lancaster House in early September, was attended by Tomorrow Options and Kingkraft.
The summit, which took place during the Paralympic Games, focused on the impact of innovative approaches to rehabilitation and assistive technologies on the activities of people living with injuries, disabilities or illnesses.
Funding awarded for bladder diary project
A collaborative project between D4D, MDTi, Medipex and RTC North has been awarded funding through the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPRSC).
The EPRSC funding has gone towards the trial of a bladder diary device being developed by ELAROS 24/7 Ltd (Electronic LUTS And Remote Observation Service).
The EPRSC's Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) is Europe's leading programme helping businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK Knowledge Base.
D4D supported product takes off at Gatwick
A Devices for Dignity (D4D) supported product that provides postural support to physically disabled children on board aircraft was launched this month at an event at the Gatwick headquarters of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
TravelChair 2012, designed by the children's disability charity MERU, is portable so can be securely installed on board the majority of types of aircraft (including helicopters) on request.
D4D supported MERU with TravelChair by providing advice and funding for research.
Virgin Atlantic has already placed orders for the TravelChair 2012 and MERU are actively participating in negotiations with several other major airlines.