SMART Arm: Helping stroke survivors move from dependence to independence

Globally, 15 million people suffer a stroke each year. Around 5 million people die as a direct result. Of the 10 million who survive, 4 million are discharged from care with arm impairment. Stroke is a condition that touches many of us.

What if I told you there was a medical device that’s proven to significantly improve arm impairment, developed right here in Australia? A device that moves stroke survivors from dependence to independence.

The SMART Arm is a non-robotic device that enables stroke survivors with arm impairment to drive recovery of their arm function. Sensory-Motor Active Rehabilitation Training Arm (SMART Arm) is a device developed by researchers from The University of Queensland and James Cook University.

Recently Neuromotion Pty Ltd acquired SMART Arm. I am one of the partners of Ontogo, the company selected to provide executive services to bring this incredible medical device to market.

As Associate Professor Brauer who led the NHMRC-funded clinical trial, stated: “SMART Arm is one of the few interventions shown to result in positive changes in neural plasticity in people with severe paralysis after chronic stroke.”[1]

How the SMART Arm began

The SMART Arm story began back in 2003. Ruth Barker and Sandy Brauer were Rehab Physiotherapists frustrated telling stroke survivors to go home and live with their disability. They commenced their PhD’s to find a solution for stroke survivors.

The goal was to evaluate how the principles of neuroplasticity could assist the recovery of stroke survivors with arm impairment. The research demonstrated that stroke survivors can re-learn the essential movements lost following a stroke.

Experience-dependent neural plasticity has taught researchers and clinicians how the damaged brain re-learns lost functionality. Prescribed physical rehabilitation is the mechanism for re-learning lost behaviours.

A stroke is a brain injury resulting in stroke survivors losing the ability to drive and control key movements. These are lost behaviours, and recovery requires re-learning how to make those key movements.

The key principle is “re-learning”. The principles of experience-dependent neural plasticity define the key deliverables required of a solution focused on re-learning movement. SMART Arm’s functionality is based on the principles of neuroplastic transformation and is designed to deliver the key principles of experience-dependent neural plasticity.

Clinical trials and a path to commercialisation

Following successful scientific and clinical research, SMART Arm Pty Ltd (SAPL) was formed in 2011 to commercialise the research. The objective was to create a device to facilitate re-learning through experience-dependent neural plasticity to resolve arm impairment for stroke survivors.

With the support of grant funding, the key requirements of a commercial device have been investigated through the development of a series of prototype devices. During this time the clinical research continued leveraging these prototypes, particularly at the Rehab Unit of the Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH), with support from the Queensland Government.

Moving to market readiness

Whilst this important work was moving forward, Ontogo, largely Shay Chalmers, Mark Morwood and myself, evaluated the go-to-market strategy and plan. The market analysis Ontogo completed indicates there is a clear market need for the device with global scale.

At this point, NeuroMotion stepped in and took over from the universities that had developed the concept with the inventors and had completed the research.

Ontogo had been engaged over the years by SMART Arm Pty Ltd and now we are honoured to be selected by NeuroMotion to provide the executive team to manage the project from this point forward. Basically, we are going to execute the plan we developed in parallel with the research program.

It is exciting to report that the inventors, Ruth Barker, Sandy Brauer, Kate Hayward, Richard Carson and David Lloyd, remain committed to the project.

The plan? The research device needs design input to complete the journey to market ready. During that period, local manufacturers will be engaged, the transfer to manufacture process completed, and then launch stage 1 will commence to ANZ rehab clinics. Shortly after, and to support patients leaving rehab with an ongoing problem, the SMART Arm will be made available to assist patients discharged from care but with ongoing arm impairment. From there, expansion internationally, and via new indications for the technology, will be executed – yes, it’s more than stroke!

And finally, at a personal level, I am delighted to report that I will be the project CEO! Can’t wait to tell you more as this journey moves forward.

[1] https://www.uq.edu.au/news/article/2012/11/smart-arm-helps-stroke-survivors-recover-faster