EMLabs Virtual Games, virtual rehabilitation space for people with multiple sclerosis

The Multiple Sclerosis Association of Bizkaia has launched its Bilbao Rehabilitation Center, in collaboration with the company Virtualware, el EMLabs Virtual Games, an innovative project for the rehabilitation of patients with multiple sclerosis through multimedia technologies, virtual reality and 'serious games'.

The Eugenia Epalza Basque Multiple Sclerosis Foundation has inaugurated the EMLabs Virtual Games in Bilbao, the first virtual rehabilitation space for people with multiple sclerosis in Europe. The project has been developed by the company Virtualware, in collaboration with therapists from the EM Foundation and the Multiple Sclerosis Association of Bizkaia (ADEMBI), experts in neurology and rehabilitation.

Virtualware has developed VirtualRehab Multiple Sclerosis, a virtual rehabilitation system that combines 3D environments and Kinect technology Microsoft. Through this motion capture system, Multiple sclerosis patients can exercise different movements without the need for any device or controller. This tool has an analysis and reporting module that allows the therapist to track the progress of each user, all this through detailed individualized graphs and reports.

All patients can benefit from virtual rehabilitation, since it is valid for all degrees of disability, It is programmed and adapts to the needs of each user. Various symptoms such as balance are worked on, spasticity, the force, fatigue…with the recreational component that a video game provides. Therapist tracks each user through personalized tracking and graphical progress analysis, evolution for each treated limb.

Treatment of the disease

The most important benefits that patients achieve with virtual rehabilitation are: improvements in gait, the resistance, balance and coordination and muscle strengthening, which results in an improvement in fatigue, common symptom, and very disabling in multiple sclerosis.

The new center will also be a testing laboratory for new technologies, in which an interdisciplinary team made up of researchers will work together, neurologists, rehabilitators and technologists. With the ultimate goal of helping to improve the quality of life of patients, It will become a space with innovation as its central axis, where new products and video games focused on physical and cognitive rehabilitation will be tested to adapt them to the needs of users.

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