Internationale Partnersuche

Innovation & Technologie Angebot

Innovative ankle ergometer for evaluation, functional reeducation and rehabilitation

Country of Origin: France
Reference Number: TOFR20190918001
Publication Date: 4 December 2019

Summary

A French Technology Transfer Office is looking for industrial partners interested by an innovative medical device for ankle evaluation and rehabilitation that is lighter, less expensive, and more accurate compared to existing solutions.  It offers to cooperate under a license agreement with a company operating in the functional reeducation sector.

Description

The device, in the form of a boot, holds the leg firmly above and below the knee in a such a way that only the ankle can move. It is indeed designed in such a way as to ensure that the patient cannot mobilize any other part of the body or engage other muscles to increase the force deployed.

Whereas with classical ergometers values of force deployed by the ankle are overestimated by 40%, the innovative boot is able to measure with accuracy the mechanical properties of the muscles of the ankle, notably the capability of the muscles involved in the mobility of the ankle and more particularly the capability of the muscles of the ankle exerting a force for achieving plantar flexion (or extension) and/or dorsal flexion (or dorsiflexion). 

Moreover, the device permits to conduct tests to evaluate the capability of a patient to maintain an orthostatic posture (standing position) and start rehabilitation.

License agreement is offered to companies in the field of functional reeducation. The partner should have a clear industrial application in mind and should have a strong technical background to develop and bring the product to the market.

Advantages and Innovations

- Gives the real value of the force developed in the ankle

- Measures the strength of the plantar flexor muscles only

- Measures are performed in the supine or sitting position

- Allows an early assessment of the patient's ability to be mobilized

- Makes possible a quick mobilization of the patient

- Playful interface allowing a performance gain of 20% for the patient

- Portability

- Reduced cost compared to other ergometers

- Priority patent 20/01/2015 extended in USA, Canada, Japan, Europe

Stage Of Development

Prototype available for demonstration

Stage Of Development Comment

Functional prototypes (TRL6)

Developed with hospital physiotherapists

Requested partner

Industrials interested in the exploitation of the technology are sought for licensing.

The partner should ideally be a company or expert in the field of medical devices more specifically in the field of functional reeducation, seeking a license agreement.

The innovation is at an advanced stage of development: TRL 6. 

The partner is expected to have a strong technical background to design, manufacture and bring the product to the market and to end users. The partner should also have a reputation, sales force and the capacity to deal with regulatory aspects.

Dissemination Countries

Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands