HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – CFD Research, a leader in advanced engineering solutions, has announced a new project to develop a groundbreaking vestibular rehabilitation system tailored for military personnel. Under a recently awarded $1.3M Defense Health Agency contract, the system, known as VestRX-MIL, will leverage innovative gamification techniques and machine learning to improve engagement, accuracy, and compliance with at-home exercises.
“Vestibular conditions can significantly impact the lives of military personnel, limiting their ability to perform their duties,” said Dr. Paulien Roos, Principal Investigator at CFD Research. “Our goal is to create a rehabilitation system that is both effective and enjoyable, helping service members recover from these conditions and return to full duty.”
VestRX-MIL will build upon the success of the existing VestRxTM system, which has been shown to improve rehabilitation outcomes for older adults. By incorporating military-specific exercises, themes, and gameplay, VestRX-MIL will provide a more engaging and motivating experience for service members.
Key features of VestRX-
MIL will include:
CFD Research will employ a user-driven design approach to ensure that VestRX-MIL meets the unique requirements of military personnel. This includes conducting extensive user research, iterative prototyping, and ongoing feedback collection. The project is being conducted in collaboration with Leidos at the Naval Health Research Center, leveraging their expertise in military health and rehabilitation.
“The successful development of VestRX-MIL has the potential to significantly improve the lives of military personnel with vestibular conditions, enhancing their readiness and quality of life,” said Dr. Kapil Pant, Executive Vice President at CFD Research.
This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Defense (DoD) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program under Contract No. HT942524C0009. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC).
