CREW: six technological devices for re-habilitation

The CREW Project - Codesign for REhabilitation and Wellbeing, at the end of the design and acceleration phases, selected six concepts, the result of the joint design work that involved clinicians, researchers, educators and trainers, companies and start-ups, associations and policy makers. The selected projects will lead to the production of prototypes designed with the common goal of improving the quality of life of people with disabilities.

The total investment of Fondazione Cariplo for the wider program “District of Rehabilitation”, which comprises CREW, is more than 5,000,000 euro. The fact points out a clear commitment of the banking foundation in supporting integrated research and development initiatives for motor and cognitive re-habilitation of people in temporary or permanent functional impairment and improving their life and social relations quality. 

CREW, Codesign for REhabilitation and Wellbeing, is a research project developed from the Scientific and Technological Research Area of Fondazione Cariplo with the scope to create innovative technological solutions in the motor and cognitive rehabilitation field and aimed to the facilitation of the social inclusion of people with permanent, temporary or age related disabilities. CREW project is part of the wider Fondazione Cariplo program dedicated to the District of Rehabilitation started in 2014, the result of the Action Plan dedicated to research useful to improve people's well-being.

CREW was shaped on the European model of responsible research and innovation (RRI), using co-design as a methodology to express and identify the needs and find the related solutions. This was carried out by five project laboratories dedicated to: sport and disability, school integration and autism, neuro-motor pediatric disabilities, ambient living to maintain the life autonomy and for a new life autonomy.

During the laboratories activities, different concepts were designed, of these, six were rated as promising by a qualified jury during the Pitch Contest Grand Finale held at Fondazione Filarete. An acceleration program of the projects was carried out by Fondazione Filarete, in order to give all the projects useful instruments to plan the stages of production and market entry of the technological solutions.

The six devices identified to improve the life quality of people with disabilities are:

• CAMBIO, a wheelchair at affordable costs, that thanks to an improved tilting technology and an innovative drive gearbox can be used for outdoor activities and recreational sports.
• AQTIVO, a device to encourage and enjoy water safely also in case of disabilities and impairments. It has been studied to be useful for people that are not at their best entering in water or during rehabilitation programmes.
• MOSAIC, a game to accompany the children, especially boys and girls with autism spectrum disorders, into the primary school, the first important moment of socialization with other children. MOSAIC integrates real and virtual game scenarios, connected to the multimedia classroom blackboard, and includes information and contents for the training of teachers.
• GiocAbile, a game for children with neuro-motor disabilities that favors the enhancement of skills and abilities playing interactive videogames with their friends and family members.
• BABY CREW, a modular and functional seat, able to favor the correct sitting position for children with neuro-motor disabilities. Design and modularity are the features that allow this seat to accompany the child growth and enable him to participate to the family life.
• GRIPPOS is an integrated system that starting from an online platform allows, thanks also to the 3d print, the customization of tools and devices that facilitate grabbing objects and tools for daily activities of people with upper limbs impairments.

Prototyping and testing will involve people and organizations that participated in the concept phase: CNR- Istituto di Bioimmagini e Fisiologia Molecolare Milano, CNR - ICMATE, Istituto di Chimica della Materia Condensata e Tecnologie per l'Energia Lecco, CNR - ITIA, Istituto di Tecnologie Industriali e Automazione Milano, Politecnico di Milano, IRCCS “Ca' Granda” Ospedale Maggiore, Casa di Cura Domus Salutis di Brescia, Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi Onlus, Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, IRCCS Eugenio Medea dell'Associazione "La Nostra Famiglia", Istituto Villa Santa Maria di Tavernerio, Università degli Studi di Milano, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Arduini Design, Cris Ortopedia Srl, Fifth Ingenium srl, Fumagalli Srl, RAI Torino, WeMake srl, Associazione Bambini Cerebrolesi Lombardia Onlus Milano, Angsa, Associazione Nazionale Genitori Soggetti Autistici Milano, Spazio Vita Niguarda Milano, Fabula Onlus Milano, Fondazione ASPHI Onlus, Fight the Stroke Milano, Parole Tue Milano, Unione Italiana Lotta alla Distrofia Muscolare Sezione di Milano, Scuola di Robotica Genova, Istituto Comprensivo Statale Fabio Filzi Milano, Direzione Generale Welfare Regione Lombardia, Ufficio Scolastico Regionale per la Lombardia Milano.

Activities of the CREW project refer to the wider District Rehabilitation program. While CREW aims to bring to the community solutions based on available technologies, the District includes also two advanced research projects, which in 2017 will reach their final stage."INCOGNITO - Integrated cognitive, sensory, and motor rehabilitation of hand functions", aimed at understanding the key mechanisms that generate the self perception of hand action in healthy individuals and people with disabilities. The ultimate goal is to support the choice of the best rehabilitation protocol and the development of technological tools of last generation to promote the best perception of the hemiplegic limb during rehabilitation. The project is conducted by the Clinical Rehabilitation Centre "Villa Beretta" – Ospedale Valduce and by the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne EPFL.

"HEAD (Human Empowerment Aging and Disability): technology and network for tele-rehabilitation services" proposes the creation of an innovative multi-sensory technology platform to test rehabilitation programs that are able to use cognitive and emotional aspects to enhance patients’ motor tasks. The project is implemented by the Rehabilitation Clinical Rehabilitation Centre "Villa Beretta" – Ospedale Valduce and by Fondazione San Camillo - Torino, Fondazione Don Gnocchi - Milano, Fondazione ASPHI and the national TV service research centre Centro Ricerche Rai - Torino.