March KITE Trainee Innovations Showcase
The Trainee Innovations Showcase is an opportunity for trainees to share their work with members of the public, showcase that research in simple terms, and recruit participants for UHN Research studies.
This month's edition of the series will highlight the work of the following trainees:
Siti Nurfaezah Binti Zahari
Title: Next-Gen Sensory Assessment in Spinal Cord Injury
Accurately assessing sensory function in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) is crucial for a clinician to evaluate the sensory dysfunction, grade injury levels, and determine the severity of the injury. My research focuses on developing a fully-automated, computer-controlled Electrical Perceptual Threshold (CCEPT) device to improve the precision and efficiency of sensory testing. This innovation aims to provide objective, reliable data to support clinical decision-making and reduce assessment time. Attendees will learn how this technology works and its potential to enhance SCI care.
Interactive component: TENS Machine - device will allow attendees to experience how electrical signals interact with sensory perception and understand the principles behind automated sensory assessment. ISNCSCI (International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury) worksheet along with a safety pin and cotton swab, which are commonly used in clinical sensory assessments.
Christina Commisso
Title: Exploring How People with Cognitive Impairment Keep On-Task when Completing Everyday Activities
Older adults with cognitive impairment (e.g., dementia) may experience difficulties completing household activities which can result in the loss of their abilities. Studies have shown that saying the steps of a task out-loud (‘self-cueing’) helps children and older adults to stay on-track during a task, but this has never been explored in people with cognitive impairment. This innovation showcase will display technology being used for exploring how people living with cognitive impairment are using cues to guide themselves during household tasks. Attendees of the showcase will be invited to trial the technology and gain an understanding of how it provides useful insight into what users might be thinking while they complete a task.
Interactive component: Eye-tracking glasses and tablet
Lindsay Stern
Title: A novel AI system for Pressure Injury Prevention
People with mobility challenges, such as older adults and those with spinal cord injury, are at risk of developing pressure injuries. Pressure injuries can be defined as wounds to the skin and underlying tissues, often occurring along the bony prominences of the body, due to prolonged pressure and shear forces. Current clinical best practices recommend repositioning the body every 2-4 hours to alleviate these prolonged forces. However, this often requires the assistance of caregivers which can be a laborious task. This innovation showcase will display our research, which is an in-bed posture detection algorithm, which will notify caregivers when repositioning is required, if the patient has not repositioned naturally. Attendees of the showcase will be invited to view our research, provide any recommendations, and learn about future opportunities to participate in this exploration.