Meetings & Events: REAL™ Immersive System Debuts at APTA’s CSM 2020

Penumbra Announces Launch of REAL™ Immersive System for Rehabilitation Therapy at APTA’s Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) 2020

Penumbra, Inc. is pleased to announce the launch of the REAL™ Immersive System, a tool for conducting rehabilitation therapy, at the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) 2020 to be held February 12-15 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, CO.

Attendees are invited to learn more about the REAL Immersive System by visiting Penumbra Booth #1913, where Penumbra will exhibit the hardware and software tool at its 50′ x 70′ booth — one of the largest in CSM’s history. The booth will feature demo stations, an immersive video room, and photo wall. Penumbra will exhibit from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, February 13 and 14; and from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 15. Penumbra will host after-hours demonstration events at its booth on February 13 and 14 from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.

About the REAL Immersive System

The REAL Immersive System, a therapeutic tool that utilizes virtual reality, gives care providers who deliver rehabilitation for the upper extremity a new way to engage patients and facilitate their full course of rehabilitation. The REAL System, which was designed for portability and ease of use in a healthcare setting, can be used at a patient’s bedside, in a therapy gym, or a mobile health location.

The REAL System is self-contained in a portable case, with no external infrastructure required. Its custom hardware comprises a tablet used by the therapist to administer and monitor activities as well as 6 body sensors and headset worn by the patient.

During setup, the patient is immediately immersed in the charming and encouraging world of Happy Valley™, the REAL System’s first suite of activities. Using a variety of familiar therapeutic motions, like shoulder flexion and functional reach, the patient helps Happy Valley characters turn a small village into a bustling town.

In addition to serving as a motivational platform, the REAL System continuously collects real-time sensor and performance data, such as patient range of motion. The care provider can track patient progress based on data received during a session.

Furthermore, therapists and other healthcare professionals who are part of the same hospital system can support patient progress across the full continuum of acute care, inpatient, and outpatient care settings, including mobile therapy operations.

Neuroplasticity

Evidence shows that rehabilitation can help survivors of neurological injury, such as injury due to stroke or trauma, recover abilities initially lost. Rehabilitation drives neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new connections. Rehabilitation within a virtual reality environment — complete with a 360 degree view of the virtual world and depiction of the patient’s whole body — can facilitate neuroplasticity by providing rich sensory feedback, incentive for increased repetition, intensity and period of exercise, as well as the ability to show the patient’s body engaged in activities that they may not be able to perform in the real world.

Upcoming Meetings

Future opportunities to participate in a live demonstration of the REAL Immersive System, as well as place orders, include the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP) Annual Meeting, March 4-9, in Orlando, FL; and the 2020 American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Annual Meeting & Expo, March 26-29, in Boston, MA. The REAL Immersive System can also be ordered through Penumbra’s team of sales representatives and care specialists. For contact information, visit www.realsystem.com/get-real/.

Product availability varies by country. Rx only. Prior to use, please see User Manual for complete information, product indications, warnings, precautions, and potential adverse events. The product is intended to be used in a clinical environment and prescribed and supervised by a medical professional trained in rehabilitation therapy. A medical professional must be present at all times to provide direct supervision of the use of the product. Copyright ©2020 Penumbra, Inc. All rights reserved. The REAL Hero logo, REAL, and Happy Valley are registered trademarks of Penumbra, Inc. in the USA and other countries.

Proffitt R, Lange B. Considerations in the efficacy and effectiveness of virtual reality interventions for stroke rehabilitation: moving the field forward. Physical Therapy. 2015;95(3):441-448.