BikeAround Uses Google Street View to Assist People with Dementia
Laura McQuarrie — October 5, 2017 — Life-Stages
References: blog.google & digitalbuzzblog
BikeAround is a system that uses a stationary bike and Google Street View to take dementia patients on virtual bike ride down a road they have visited in the past.
While it is a challenge for many elderly people with Alzheimer’s to recall some memories, BikeAround has the ability to assist people by transporting them back to a certain place in time. By pairing mental and physical stimulation with images of places that feels familiar, Anne-Christine Hertz, Manager at Health Technology Centre of Halland, describes that: "Scientists think this kind of pairing produces dopamine in the brain and has the potential to affect memory management in a profound way."
As well as serving as a system to aid with memory and spatial awareness, BikeAround also has the potential to provide stimulating physical and mental exercise for the elderly in a safe way.
While it is a challenge for many elderly people with Alzheimer’s to recall some memories, BikeAround has the ability to assist people by transporting them back to a certain place in time. By pairing mental and physical stimulation with images of places that feels familiar, Anne-Christine Hertz, Manager at Health Technology Centre of Halland, describes that: "Scientists think this kind of pairing produces dopamine in the brain and has the potential to affect memory management in a profound way."
As well as serving as a system to aid with memory and spatial awareness, BikeAround also has the potential to provide stimulating physical and mental exercise for the elderly in a safe way.
Trend Themes
1. Virtual Reality Therapy - BikeAround's use of Google Street View to assist dementia patients with memory and spatial awareness presents an opportunity for the development of more virtual reality-based treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
2. Personalized Exercises - BikeAround's ability to take patients down memory lane provides an opportunity for the development of personalized exercises that cater to the individual's memories, possibly leading to more effective cognitive therapy.
3. Technology Assisted Physical Therapy - BikeAround's virtual bike ride is a unique form of physical therapy that utilizes technology and presents an opportunity for the development of technology-assisted physical therapy programs for elderly and disabled patients.
Industry Implications
1. Healthcare - BikeAround's innovative technology presents an opportunity for the healthcare industry to develop new treatments and therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.
2. Fitness - BikeAround's safe and stimulating approach to physical and mental exercise presents an opportunity for the fitness industry to cater to elderly and disabled clients in need of low-impact exercise.
3. Virtual Reality - BikeAround's use of Google Street View to provide a virtual bike ride presents an opportunity for the virtual reality industry to develop more innovative and immersive experiences for therapeutic and entertainment purposes.
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