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| The Emego Switch in action |
A brand new assistive technology switch, Emego, which gives people with severe disabilities and brain injuries the ability to control communication software with a twitch of a muscle, is now available in the UK.
The Emego, a class 1 medical device,
accurately detects even the smallest signal from a user’s movements using
electromyography (EMG) technology enabling them to interact with their
environment. Attaching the small and light body-worn patient unit to any muscle
enables the user to control accessibility and environmental control software
simply by twitching their working muscle group.
GSPK Design worked in partnership with
The Assistive Technology Team at Barnsley Hospital, The Centre for Assistive
Technology & Connected Healthcare (CATCH) at the University of Sheffield
and the NIHR Devices for Dignity Medtech Co-operative (D4D MIC) for over three
years to get the Emego to market.
The Emego is intended for people with
severe neurological disorders such as those who have motor neurone disease
(MND) or acute brain injuries. People with these diseases or injuries suffer
from muscle weakening which makes it harder for them to communicate using
existing assistive technology switches already on the market. Emego aims to
fill in this gap by being an alternative switch option as it can pick up even
the slightest of muscle movements with very high accuracy.
Emego is set to replace existing
unreliable switches and in some cases provide access to people who have had no
way of switching at all, due to the nature of their injury or disease. This
enables their independence and will enhance their long-term care. The Emego
patient unit picks up the EMG signal and wirelessly transmits this to the base
unit which converts the signal into a switch. This can then be used, for
example, as a mouse click which can then be used in communication software
similar to what 2018 Britain’s Got Talent winner, Lee Ridley, aka The Lost
Voice Guy used in his recent performances.
North Yorkshire based Electronic
design and manufacturing firm, GSPK Design, designed and manufactured the Emego
switch entirely in the UK creating opportunities for growth and job security.
Managing Director, Paul Marsh is enthusiastic about the release of the Emego,
“There are currently about 13,000 people in the UK, who have no access or very
limited access due to brain stem stroke injuries, or disease. We aim to give
these people hope of a brighter future, and more importantly the ability
to communicate by interfacing our technology with existing AAC and EC
equipment. Once we have proven acceptability and reliability in the UK, we
intend to go worldwide. It’s exciting times for the company as we have a host
of ideas to build on the back of this technology. The Emego is an early step
into the market of Electronic Assistive Technology.”
The whole project was commissioned and
funded by the SBRI Healthcare programme. SBRI Healthcare is an NHS England
initiative, championed by the Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs). At the
start of the Emego’s journey a callout, led by experts in the medical sector,
were looking for innovative technologies that solve unmet needs and provide a
potential value to the patients as well as the health service.
Initial sales of the Emego are proving
strong and assistive technology centres around the UK are lining up to see how
they can utilise this switch within their existing equipment.
Clinical Scientist & Research
Fellow at CATCH, Aejaz Zahid, who is leading a clinical trial had this to say,
“As part of an NHS study, we have been evaluating the Emego with a number of
highly challenging cases; individuals for whom other Assistive Technology
access methods have become extremely difficult or impossible. Having used most
other EMG systems that have been commercially available in the past, we find
the Emego to offer numerous advantages. It is wireless, dry contact, easy to
maintain on a daily basis, does not require a computer for operation and
once an appropriate switch location has been identified, the Emego is
relatively quick and straightforward to set up for caregivers.”
You can find out how to purchase or
receive a free demo of the Emego and more through their website: www.emego.co.uk
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