Ep 35 - Prof. Maggie-Lee Huckabee & Emma Hayes - How Swaltech is Transforming Dysphagia Therapy

Good Clinical has teamed up with Te Titoki Mataora, the MedTech Research Translator, to bring you the Te Titoki Mataora Podcast Series.

In this latest episode, meet Prof. Maggie Huckabee, Founding Director and Chief Scientific Officer, and Emma Hayes, Chief Executive Officer, at Swaltech.

Swaltech is a medical device company that have developed innovative assessment tools that clinicians can incorporate into treatment planning and rehabilitation for individuals with dysphagia. Swaltech have developed an app called BiSSkapp (Biofeedback in Strength and Skill Training) that works alongside a surface electromyography (sEMG) device to detect and display muscle activity using sensors under the chin. This allows dysphagia rehabilitation to be achieved in the individual's own home with remote clinician supervision.

You can find out more about Swaltech here: https://swaltech.com/

Episode Takeaways:

1. Swaltech have developed an innovative, non-invasive solution for remote dysphagia rehabilitation, combining their BiSSkapp with a biofeedback device.
2. Their solution works by placing electrodes under the chin, which connects to a tablet to provide muscle feedback, allowing for at-home use with clinician-prescribed settings.
3. The adaptive biofeedback can adjust difficulty to patient progress, and personalised voice prompts from clinicians can be incorporated to help with progress and motivation.
4. There are ongoing clinical trials at University of Canterbury and University of Florida. - Swaltech's aim is providing state-of-the-art dysphagia management, with future plans for paediatrics expansion and new product iterations.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Dysphagia and Swaltech
03:09 Understanding Dysphagia: Prevalence and Impact
06:02 Clinical Interventions for Dysphagia
08:55 Innovative Approaches to Swallowing Rehabilitation
11:46 The Birth of Swaltech and Its Mission
15:09 The BiSSkapp: Biofeedback in Strength and Skill Training
18:05 Patient-Centric Design and Usability
24:20 Commercialisation and Regulatory Strategy
31:00 Future Aspirations for Swaltech 

𝐊𝐄𝐘𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒:- Dysphagia, Swaltech, MedTech, swallowing disorders, rehabilitation, biofeedback, clinical interventions, Parkinson's disease, stroke, paediatric dysphagia
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