The Future

SCITCS continues, as we have done since 1987, to promote and financially support applied research, bringing state-of-the-art technology and research to Northern Alberta.

We are anticipating arrival of the RehaMove arm crank www.hasomed.de or click on Application of FES at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. This too will be a first in Canada. Achieved June 2006

We have taken possession of a Concept 2 rowing machine and are looking forward to acquiring the adaptive equipment necessary for FES rowing by April 2006 Achieved June 2006

We will expand the number of Ergys FES stationary bikes www.musclepower.com by three to a total of five and we will include an additional three Stim boxes. Achieved  December 2006

NOTE: The new equipment will be a part of applied FES research that will take place in the SCITCS FES Research Facility created and named June 2006 by the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta. An Ergys bike and a stimulator have been added to the FES equipment in the SCITCS FES Clinic to allow people with SCI and others to exercise by moving their paralyzed imbs and so maintain their health. It is anticipated that the additional bike and stimulator will promote expansion of the FES exercise program

Dr Brian Andrews professor at the University of Oxford, England and champion rower Robin Gibbons visited in September 2006. Dr Andrews and Robin are promoting the use of FES rowing to improve the health of people with a spinal cord injury. To date 6 participants with paraplegia competed against able-bodied rowers in the same event and were successful in earning 6 medals at the Indoor Rowing Championships held in England. Learn more about FES indoor competitive rowing in the UK. Dr. Andrews and Dr. Garry Wheeler, the original researchers, are to be commended as is Robin Gibbons captain, trainer and competitor who says” rowing has taken over my life”. See Robin's story in the SCITCS Newsletter. pages 11-14  Achieved September 2006

SCITCS is awaiting the arrival of the RehaBike-tricycle from www.hasomed.de The RehaBike consists of a specially equipped recumbent tricycle and the RehaStim stimulator which uses FES.  At the push of a button cycling starts. The tricycle can be used to cycle outside the laboratory. Richard Stein Ph.D. of the Centre for Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry will conduct research into the application of FES to cycle. Go to SCITCS Newsletter to view the tricycle in the FES Sports Day article Pages 10-11.Click on Engineering Research for Spinal Cord Injury to view a video of a person with a spinal cord injury using functional electrical stimulation to tricycle in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, Scotland. Achieved March 2007