Sports Surgery Clinic and TuringSense recently announced a partnership to improve athletic injury prevention and speed up rehabilitation.
Ireland-based SSC is a sport-specific hospital specializing in 3D biomechanics, diagnostics, and orthopedic surgery and rehab. TuringSense, a Silicon Valley-based sports wearable company, focuses on camera-less 3D motion capture technology. SSC will utilize TuringSense’s PIVOT technology to enhance their injury prediction analysis and athletic rehabilitation.
PIVOT is a real time high-speed multi-sensor 3D motion capture system. But unlike most 3D motion capture systems, cameras aren’t required. SSC will use the small PIVOT sensors to develop a new field-based version of their multifaceted proprietary VU test, used to determine when athletes are ready to return from injury. VU utilizes biomechanics and takes into account all athletic movements, for athletes at every level. Now SSC will be able to pinpoint injury causing techniques, joint alignment and acceleration points more precisely. PIVOT monitors will also be utilized in the recovery and rehabilitation process by helping monitor patients away from their facility.
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We first covered PIVOT last November, when their primary focus was motion capture technology for tennis. Players attach between five to 15 sensors on their bodies. Then all of their movements are captured in real time. Coaches can sort through an array of data, and look for flaws in technique on the 3D video renderings. While doctors and physical therapists are able to watch for injury causing techniques, body alignment and patterns. And none of the parties every have to be in the same location.
SSC will incorporate PIVOT’s minimalist version of 3D motion capture, limiting their need for expensive equipment and cameras. All of their data and 3D videos will then be stored on the cloud to be viewed on desktop or mobile devices in real time. These sensors limit the need for patients and caregivers to be in the same location, which makes the rehab process much less invasive for patients.
Data collection of high-level soccer and rugby players is also a key part of the partnership, which they hope will lead to commercially viable injury prevention and recovery solutions. By spring 2017 they plan to offer proprietary software bundles, including rehab and prevention procedures for ACL, Achilles, ankle and groin injuries.