• Real-time visual balance feedback
• Programmable visual targets and obstacles
• Fully customizable training regimens
• Statistical package specifically developed for feedback training

Balance testing often involves a large number of subjects each with multiple trials. The Balance Trainer software provides a subject database so the clinician can observe and record each subject’s progress. The clinician may also create multiple-subject databases in order to provide separate databases for different studies.

A Balance Trainer protocol is an assessment or training regimen designed to ensure uniformity and repeatability of the testing process. A single protocol may be applied to multiple subjects or customized for each depending on whether the clinical goal is rehabilitation, training, assessment or research.

Feedback trials provide real-time visual feedback and tracking of the subject’s center of pressure while he or she attempts to achieve on-screen targets. Feedback trials can be run in either rhythmic or achievement mode. In rhythmic mode, each target is only highlighted for a set time period. In achievement mode, each target remains highlighted until the subject both reaches the target and then maintains position in the target area for a pre-determined duration.

Balance Trainer uses an eight-step process to help guide the user through the data acquisition routine. The program automatically sequences through these steps, but the user may elect to skip steps when it is deemed appropriate.

1. Select Subject – Select or create a subject to load his or her current protocol.
2. Zero Platform – Prepare the platform for acquisition.
3. Foot Position – Select the subject’s base of support on the platform.
4. Acquire – Take data.
5. Analyze – Analyze the data before saving (if desired).
6. Save Data – Save the acquired data.
7. Next Trial – Select the next trial in the subject’s protocol.
8. Print Report – Print any desired reports on trials and Romberg ratios (if any were selected).

Some of these steps may be skipped depending on what the testing parameters are. For instance the platform does not have to be zeroed every time, the clinician may not always want to view the analysis, and so forth.

Feedback analysis emphasizes target and obstacle tracking, paths to targets, ability to hold target positions, obstacle avoidance, time to target, target achievement, and other parameters of this nature. The subject’s postural control abilities are measured and documented.

Balance Trainer provides powerful batch processing capabilities to analyze multiple trials selected from the trial database. A customized analysis of an entire subject database can be performed with just the click of a button.

Balance Trainer can provide min, max, mean, and standard deviation for a large number of parameters which provide effective measures of the subject’s ability to coordinate their COP. Regression or trend analysis plotting may be performed. Up to 36 center of pressure or base of support plots may be viewed simultaneously.

Data may be exported in ASCII text format for import into other programs. Balance Trainer allows you to export:

• Platform force and moment data
• Raw X & Y Center of Pressure (COP) Data
• Discrete Fourier Transform Analysis of your data
• All statistical results you’ve selected in the batch utilities program.

Human postural control is maintained within the base of support (BOS) defined by the margins of the feet. This area can be measured or estimated using the several options provided by the Balance Trainer software.

Balance Trainer provides an accurate and efficient method of recording a subject’s base of support, greatly reducing the time and effort required to accomplish the task. The subject stands on the platform and the clinician mark the points that best indicate the margins of the base of support. The subject then steps off the platform and a provided wand is used to press down on the marked margin positions as the software automatically records these positions.

A very quick way to start training is to have the subject stand on the platform and move to the limits of his balance. The software automatically records these extremes of motion and saves them as representative of the BoS. This is particularly useful to get training programs up and running quickly.

Printed reports may be made of individual trials. Each report contains subject information, individual statistics, and plots. The reports may be batch printed after subject protocols are completed.

A clinician may set up Romberg ratios in the protocol section of Balance Trainer and have them printed out when the protocols are completed.