KUBANG KERIAN, 13 June 2016 – For the first time, academicians and the industry in Malaysia and the United Kingdom has collaborated to produce a physiotherapy rehabilitation equipment known as 'IntelliRehab' at a cost of approximately RM7 million, supported through the Innovate UK Newton-Ungku Omar collaboration grant.

The five organisations involved in the effort were MIRA REHAB LIMITED and Brunel University from the United Kingdom, while Malaysia was represented by Proven Pac Sdn Bhd, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).  

The trans-disciplinary collaboration, formed as a consortium, has requested for a sponsorship jointly-offered by Innovate UK and the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MiGHT), to produce an advanced care equipment for patients suffering from nerve disorders, which comes with remote monitoring system technology. 

According to the Medical Lecturer from the Neuroscience Department, USM School of Medical Sciences (PPSP), Associate Professor Dr. Muzaimi Mustapha who is also involved in the research, patients would be offered a physiotherapy equipment equipped with a 'remote sensor' for them to use at home.

“For guidance and assistance, patients can refer to the physiotherapy procedure guidelines and instructions provided by the hospital physiotherapist. 

“The data collected by the sensor unit would be sent directly into the data systems to be monitored and analysed by the doctor and physiotherapist to detect any improvement or a decline in the patient’s movements or whether errors were made while doing rehabilitation exercises by the patient,” said Dr. Muzaimi.

He said further: “The project which would be conducted for three years beginning from September 2016 until September 2019 would entail seven phases, with USM being involved directly in all the phases beginning from design preparation process, equipment modification, advisory services of clinical experts, effectiveness tests to marketing.”

Dr. Muzaimi added, the industrial sector has contributed funding amounting to RM2 million for the project. Currently, the research team has applied for RM5 million funding from Innovate UK and MiGHT, and is awaiting approval for the budget allocation before commencing research. 

From USM, six researchers are involved in the collaboration and they are all from the Neuroscience Department, School of Medical Sciences (PPSP) - Associate Professor Dr. Muzaimi Mustapha; Dr. Muhammad Hafiz Hanafi; Occupational Therapists Nurul Wahida Zulkifli and Noor Asyrani Adnan; and Physiotherapists Lisa Nabihah Mohd Bakar and Ahmad Faris Musa. 

Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin

Text: Lailatul Hafiza Abdul Rashid / Photo: Mohd Hafiz Ya’acob