The Cluster of Excellence "Cognitive Interaction Technology" (CITEC) at Bielefeld University will be exhibiting a new application of cognitive interaction technology for the medical profession at the MEDICA 2010 Trade Fair. You can find this at the joint stand of the State Government of North Rhine-Westphalia in Hall 3 (Booth 3/C90) from the 17th to the 20th of November. The system platform, the first of its kind in the world, presents visitors with a demonstration of how a virtual reality (VR) can be used for diagnosis, treatment, and neuropsychological rehabilitation in the fields of neurology and psychiatry.

The system platform is designed in particular for patients with brain dysfunctions frequently resulting from stroke and traumatic brain injury but also occurring in other neurological and psychiatric disorders. Up to now, efficient and patient-oriented methods for the diagnosis and treatment of these illnesses are still lacking - particularly when higher cognitive functions are affected. However, in recent years, a series of experimental studies have shown that VR technologies can be used to design stimulating dynamic and interactive environments that are close to everyday life and may therefore allow for a successful rehabilitation of brain dysfunctions.

The platform is being developed in the CITmed Project - the winner of the competition "High-Tech.NRW." - Ziel 2-Programm. As cooperation partners of Bielefeld University, the Deparments of Psychiatry and Neurology at the Evangelische Krankenhaus Bielefeld GmbH and the Department for Neurological Rehabilitation at the Marcus-Klinik GmbH & Co KG will be carrying out the clinical studies in the project. Further project partners are Velamed GmbH, new media GmbH, and the Zentrum für Innovation in der Gesundheitswirtschaft OWL [Centre for Innovation in Healthcare Management of Eastern Westphalia and Lippe].

Contact:
Exzellenzcluster „Cognitive Interaction“ Technology (CITEC)
Bielefeld Universitäty
Phone: +49 521-106-6564
eMail: info@cit-ec.uni-bielefeld.de