VIDEO | Australian-first robotic joystick to help stroke patients

But is it better that these other video games? If you don't know the answer your hospital is incompetent.

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VIDEO | Australian-first robotic joystick to help stroke patients 

It’s the video game where winning and losing is replaced by recovery and progress.

Meet Fourier M2 –  a state-of-the-art robotic joystick designed to help brain injury rehabilitation patients regain strength and range of motion in their upper body. 

The device, which is not available anywhere else in Australia, is on loan to HammondCare’s Braeside Hospital as part of a clinical trial until December.

The robotic technology allows patients to play a series of video games with the joystick programmed to be easier or harder depending on the stage of therapy.

Braeside Hospital director of rehabilitation services Dr Caitlin Anderson said the robotic joystick will be used primarily in stroke rehabilitation and upper limb therapy.

“Robotics is a proven therapy in stroke rehabilitation,” Dr Anderson said.

“It has two main benefits that add to traditional one-to-one therapy. It allows people who may not have been able to do anything useful with their arm to actually do active therapy which previously was limited.

“It can also add additional time in therapy to their program. Stroke rehab is very much about amount of time in therapy gets additional benefit. So the more time in therapy we can get hopefully the better outcomes there are for patients.”

Director of rehabilitation services Dr Caitlin Anderson with Braeside Hospital's occupational therapy team.

The device was unveiled at Braeside Hospital’s Occupational Therapy Week celebrations on Wednesday. 

Occupational Therapy Service Manager Abdul Shaik said the aim of the new technology is to increase range of movement and strength in the arm.

Fourier M2 has four different modes including active and resistance settings and gives patients real-time feedback.

“If the patient able to do 20 per cent, the machine will do the other 80 per cent of movement,” Mr Shaik said.

The Fourier M2 homepage.

“As patients recovers the amount of assistance provide to patient can be reduced. They play games like Fruit Ninja to help them regain strength and range but also control how much they move their arm.”

Braeside Hospital’s eight occupational therapists work in their 36 bed in-patient rehabilitation unit as well as supporting outpatients.

They assist patients get back to every day live and maximise independence by assisting in things like daily personal care, driver retraining and helping people return to work.

They also work with Braeside’s other units including palliative care and mental health.