The Cuatroochenta Chair has worked, during the last months, on improvements for its Sally system, the technological solution that allows early detection of the first signs of frailty in elderly people. The team has implemented new adaptations such as the incorporation of graphic animations and audio instructions so that the elderly can easily understand how to perform the exercises in front of the camera that captures their movements and evaluates their physical condition. In addition, machine learning techniques have been included to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the detection and evaluation of the tests and the type of camera has been changed to one that better fits the objectives of the system.
«The new changes in Sally are allowing us to be more accurate and give more reliable results. In addition, it also makes it easier for us to adapt to new 3D cameras or other technologies»
During the month of April a pilot test of Sally was carried out at the Neural adult neurological rehabilitation center in Castelló. This is a company dedicated to the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation in cases of acquired brain damage, neurodegenerative disorders and developmental disorders through a multidisciplinary approach. A total of 16 patients participated in the test. The Chair has also had the collaboration of the director, Helena Mondragón, and the team of physiotherapists at the center, whose feedback has been very useful in improving the validity and user experience of the system. Previously, the Chair had already carried out other tests in centers for the elderly in Castellón to ensure a participatory development and design, always with the participation of the end user.
The collaboration of the Cuatroochenta Chair of Artificial Intelligence, Health and Wellbeing with the company Neural is aligned with one of the main objectives of the Chair, that is, the creation of University-Business synergies to improve the transfer of research results to the clinical reality that healthcare professionals encounter on a daily basis. According to Mondragón, "from Neural, being able to count on a research team in artificial intelligence, health and wellbeing allows us to have new opportunities for the improvement of our service, given the importance of research in the field of health and the constant need for scientific updating, as well as the increasingly evident use of artificial intelligence as a tool to help medicine".
The aging of the population and the increase of dependency in people over 65 years of age means that technological solutions such as Sally are becoming increasingly necessary as a complement to the professional practice of healthcare personnel. Recently, the Cuatroochenta Chair of Artificial Intelligence Health and Welfare has obtained funding to continue its development through the award of the project "Digitalization of the assessment of frailty in the elderly with non-intrusive technologies" from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCTI).