A disruptive new machine which is designed to construct power within the muscle tissue of the ft, together with the intrinsic muscle tissue contained in the foot, is about to launch following an injection of specialist assist from Heriot-Watt College.
Novobow inventor Gerry Farrell. Picture Credit score: Heriot-Watt College
Unveiled to coincide with the opening ceremony of the Medical Gadget Manufacturing Centre, based mostly at Heriot-Watt College, the Novabow machine is designed to stop and deal with sporting accidents and a variety of foot problems and illness.
Analysis carried out in recent times has revealed the important function performed by the intrinsic foot muscle tissue, demonstrating their function in operating accidents, situations regarding diabetes together with neuropathy (foot numbness) and ulcers, alongside extra frequent but painful complaints like bunions.
A practising dentist from Glasgow is now set to remodel foot well being with an easy-to-use foot train machine which builds foot muscle power. Working with specialist designers and advisers from the Medical Gadget Manufacturing Centre at Heriot-Watt College, Gerry Farrell will launch the machine this summer time.
Lately, our understanding of the important function that intrinsic foot muscle tissue play has grown exponentially. Trendy footwear weakens the ft so most of us lack the power we’d like for proper steadiness and train. This may contribute to a spread of toe deformities, ache, and harm.
One of many essential causes individuals cease enjoying a sport or having fun with train is due to ache. Lots of the foot workouts out there give attention to the improper muscle tissue or don’t adequately or simply attain the intrinsic muscle tissue. As an beginner athlete, I needed to stop sporting accidents and the outcomes of our pilot research at Napier and Stirling Universities have been extraordinarily optimistic. Now we have additionally examined the machine long-term with Olympic hammer thrower Chris Bennett who was set to have surgical procedure earlier than resolving his knee and again points utilizing the Novabow machine. He now makes use of it each day.
The assist supplied by the MDMC has been invaluable in creating the machine for market. As a dentist attempting to launch a novel train system with clear medical advantages, I’ve encountered many challenges. The MDMC crew at Heriot-Watt College helped me with detailed CAD drawings and supplied an introduction to precisely the proper of specialist plastic producer, one thing I wouldn’t have discovered with out their assist. The ability is invaluable for SMEs working within the complicated medical machine market.”
Gerry Farrell, Managing Director, Jomarg Innovation Ltd and Inventor of the Novabow Foot Train Gadget
Considerably, these dwelling with diabetes are at a very excessive danger of difficult foot situations together with neuropathy which results in extreme numbness within the ft. A diabetic with this situation is 20 occasions extra prone to fall than somebody with out diabetes. This considerably will increase the danger of harm, notably as a person will get older Foot and ankle train packages have considerably improved and even reversed neuropathy.[1]
A second problem for these dwelling with diabetes is ulceration which, in some circumstances, can result in an infection and eventual amputation. Analysis reveals that ulcer recurrence is dramatically lowered utilizing foot and ankle train from 72% down to only 16% with such a train.[2]
We will see monumental potential for the Novabow machine to handle and stop a variety of well being situations in addition to assist each beginner {and professional} sportspeople to train security. As we mark the official launch of the MDMC at Heriot-Watt College, we hope many extra firms like Novabow will entry our free specialist medical machine manufacturing assist.
The MDMC has been established to assist SMEs like Jomarg Innovation to supply the proper producers for his or her product, to totally utilise our £2M lab gear with professional steerage and to navigate the difficult path of medical machine regulation. Our assist is free to Scottish SMEs, demonstrating our establishment’s dedication to accelerating life sciences innovation in Scotland and past.”
Professor Marc Desmulliez, Supervisor, Medical Gadget Manufacturing Centre (MDMC), Heriot-Watt College
Commenting on the opening of the Medical Gadget Manufacturing Centre at Heriot-Watt College, Enterprise Minister Ivan McKee stated:
“The Scottish Authorities welcomes as we speak’s opening of the Medical Gadget Manufacturing Centre, which we supported by means of our Advancing Manufacturing Problem Fund to stimulate innovation from smaller companies.
“The Centre may also help make Scotland’s healthcare extra modern in addressing pressing medical wants, in step with ambitions for enterprise in our Nationwide Technique for Financial Transformation.
“The Centre is supporting smaller firms and start-ups as they overcome the challenges of prototyping and testing whereas assembly stringent NHS regulatory necessities. I sit up for seeing what additional improvements emerge and the way these assist enhance healthcare high quality for, probably, hundreds of thousands worldwide.”
The Novabow Foot Train System holds patents for Europe and the USA. It has been supported by a spread of collaborators together with the Medical Gadget Manufacturing Centre based mostly at Heriot-Watt College, Scottish Enterprise, Napier and Stirling Universities, Interface and Enterprise Gateway (Glasgow Metropolis Council).
