SBIR Phase I: The Mobil-Aider: A transformative device to assess joint mobility

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to develop an orthopedic device to quantify joint mobility. Millions of musculoskeletal injuries occur each year, which results in pain, swelling, and limitations in joint movement. Unfortunately, current joint mobility and ligament assessments are dependent on the clinician?s qualitative evaluation of the ?feel? of a joint, which often results in ineffective treatment. Failure to provide proper treatment delays restoration of motion, inhibits the return of prior function, and leads to lost wages and increased healthcare costs. The goal of this proposal is to develop a transformative device to quantitatively assess joint mobility of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, and ankle. The aim is to take standardized clinical techniques currently performed in a qualitative manner to that of an objective and quantitative mode of assessment. Not only will this device be a first to market product, it will allow us to begin to develop the science of joint mobilization techniques. In addition, the device will accentuate the educational experience for emerging professionals via objective feedback to ?learn? to deliver consistent interventions to each patient. Thus, this device will capitalize on technology to enhance the practice of orthopedics. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a product to quantitatively measure joint movement. Currently, joint mobility and ligament assessments are performed qualitatively (i.e., clinician evaluates the ?feel? of a joint). However, treatments must be precise to enable the return of prior function. Inappropriate treatment can delay restoration of motion, inhibit the return of prior function, and lead to lost wages and increased healthcare costs. The goal of the proposed device is to enable accurate, simple, and inexpensive measurement of the magnitude of linear translation between two joint surfaces of multiple joints. In preliminary testing, we accurately measured millimeters of motion. We now propose to develop a compact, portable prototype that represents the ?best fit? contours for the shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, and ankle. The use of attachable dovetail interfaces designed for each joint will allow the use of the same device on a variety of joints and permit the device to be interfaced between the patient?s joint and the clinician?s hand to enable the development of standardized protocols. An immediate display of the linear translation will appear via LED. This real-time feedback will impact clinical decision-making and support consistency of techniques for efficacious treatments. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.