ACTIVITIES :: eTen :: Projects :: Projects of the Month :: PARKSERVICE
December 2006 Project of the Month: PARKSERVICE
Issues being addressed
If you have Parkinson’s disease the chances are you face a combination of disabling symptoms such as poor mobility, speech disorders and depression. You are also likely to struggle with the international shortage of neurologists to treat your condition and with travelling to your appointments. Your symptoms may fluctuate with the time of day, swinging “on” and “off”, so that when the doctor sees you, you appear to be in pretty good shape! Two things are certain. Firstly, you are unique; Parkinson’s disease affects each person differently and, as an incurable, progressive disease, its effects change over time. Secondly, you are not alone. Two in a thousand of the general population have Parkinson’s disease.
Service description
When you sit and watch television, it would be great to switch off the news and fight your disease. Maybe exchange messages with your clinician or other people with Parkinson's disease or even make a short video of yourself when your symptoms are at their worst, and securely pass it just to the people you want. There must be no complicated user interface – your fingers are not as nimble as they used to be. These are the beginnings of ParkService - a prototype service supporting people with Parkinson's disease in their homes. With a MediaCenter and a remote control users simply and securely network with each other and with doctors. But ParkService really comes into its own when combined with INDIGO, a remotely-configurable walking aid specifically for Parkinson’s that’s as easy as wearing a pair of glasses.
One of the puzzling things you may have noticed about your symptoms is that your slow, shuffling steps along the corridor are replaced by large free strides up the stairs, sadly, only to be replaced by slow, shuffling steps again as you go along the corridor upstairs.
Some people with Parkinson’s disease react strongly to external “cues”: visual or audio stimulation that helps their walking. Steps, stripes and obstacles may all work. To its users, INDIGO amounts to a pair of glasses with portable electronics that project moving video into the user’s normal view of the world. If the video is configured correctly for the individual the resulting improvement in walking can be astonishing. You can see our videos at http://parkservice.linus.oxi.net/press/INDIGOClips/.
In November 2004 INDIGO, a product based on the IST project PARREHA, won the European Commission’s “New Territory” award for Assistive Technology. INDIGO combined with telematic support from skilled clinicians and easy and secure messaging offers the full service!
Main objectives of the project
The eTEN project ParkService provides essential market validation of the ParkService package analysed into its individual components:
- telematic home support through IP-connected television
- clinical validity of patient recording of mobility symptoms
- the effectiveness of the INDIGO walking aid
The objectives are:
Market analysis: the Parkinson's disease “market” is very complex and varies across national boundaries. Some countries have large patient organisations and some have none, with everything in between. A similar situation exists on the clinical side with Parkinson's disease-specialist centres in some countries whilst others treating Parkinson's disease in general hospitals. The market entry needs to be planned on a national basis, even though the service and strategy are trans-European.
Customisation and Validation: Customisation is carried out iteratively against workshops and small trials at pilots across Europe. The requirements of the service are subtly different in different cultures. As the service is validated in pilot sites, market information, dissemination and networking are also generated.
Dissemination and Business Planning: Market analysis, customisation and validation all feed into our dissemination and business plans. Our strategy brings together the different national markets into a unified strategy for a trans-European service and building our investment opportunities for future development.
Achievements
ParkService and especially INDIGO have received widespread attention including the British Parliament (http://parkservice.linus.oxi.net/press/parliament/) and German television (http://www.parkaid.net/eng/pressroom.asp). The service has finished customisation and piloting in Italy, Germany and the UK and is now being validated in Germany. INDIGO is undergoing a dedicated clinical trial at the Institute of Neurology in London. ParkAid, the owners of ParkService, are in discussions with different investors.
Expected benefits
This project will provide a validated telematics and mobility service ready for European markets with a comprehensive strategy for investment and dissemination.
To be invited to a pilot demonstration or to follow our progress visit: http://www.parkservice.biz/
Expected benefits by the end of the project
The project will measure the existing demand and market potential for the D-Space service and its expected benefits for the formal and informal science teaching and learning procedure. The consolidated business plan resulting from this study will help the project partners evaluate the wider deployment potential and future requirements of the service.
Partners
Reference Data
Project's website:
http://www.parkservice.biz/
Contract Type: Market Validation
Start Date: July 2005
End Date: March 2007
Duration: 21 Months
Contact: reynold.greenlaw@oxfordcc.co.uk