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Balance Clinic
Software for Clinical Balance |
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Balance Clinic provides a simple step by step procedure for acquiring
balance trials while displaying COP data on a real time graphics display. A subject and trial database make it easy
to organize and store your balance trial data. As each trials is completed an entry is
made in the trial database to record the subject and trial information. A protocol file is used to define the
required trials and to ensure conformity of the testing process. Ø
Balance
Clinic Features
Subject
Database – Balance testing
often involves a large number of subjects each with multiple trials. The
Balance Clinic software provides a subject database so the clinician can
observe and record each subject’s progress.
The clinician is also permitted to create multiple subject databases
to provide separate databases for different studies. Test
Protocol - Balance testing for research and assessment frequently
requires establishing a uniform test protocol. The Balance Clinic software
assists the clinician by utilizing testing protocols so each subject may be
administered the same list of trials under the same conditions. Each protocol consists
a list of trials, with pre-selected foot positions, eye states, data rates,
and trial durations. When a new
subject record is created in the Subject Database you select a protocol for
assignment to that subject. Acquisition – Balance Clinic was developed for use with AMTI’s
lightweight portable AccuSwayPlus
balance platform. Balance Clinic is designed for real time acquisition and
display allowing the researcher to view center of pressure data as it is
acquired. Acquisition rates can be set to 50, 100 or 200 datasets per second. Simple test sequence – The normal
acquisition sequence is described below. 1) Select
Subject - When a subject is selected his current protocol is loaded for
acquisition. 2) Zero
Platform – Currently disabled, this prepares the platform for
acquisition. 3) Foot
Position – Here we mark the subject base of support on the platform and
record the position into the computer. 4) Acquire
– Take data. 5) Analyze
- Analyze the data before saving if desired. 6) Save
Data – Saves the acquired data. 7) Next
Trial – Moves the protocol trial counter to highlight the next trial in
the list box to the right of this button. At this point you will usually go
back to Foot Position or Acquire to run the next trial. 8) Print
Report – When a subject’s protocol is completed this button will become
enabled for printing reports on all trials and also the Romberg ratio’s if
any were selected. Although
the program automatically sequences through theses steps the user is give the
flexibility to skip steps when it is appropriate for their own purpose. For
example the user may not be interested in base of support data, or analyzing
data so these steps may be omitted during the trial progress. Trial
Analysis – For each trial
Balance Clinic software provides the researcher with variety of calculated
balance parameters and plots. Batch
Analysis – In Balance Clinic
Utilities you can perform a customized analysis on an entire subject database
with just the click of a button. You
can get minimum, maximum, mean, and standard deviation for each of the listed
parameters. You can perform regression or trend analysis plotting on the
various selected balance parameters. You can view up to thirty-six Exporting
Data – The clinician may need
to export data for import into third party analysis packages such as MS
EXCEL, Lotus, etc. The Balance Clinic software will export your data in ASCII
text format for import into other programs. Balance Clinic allows you to
export: o
Platform force
and moment data o
Raw X & Y
Center Of Pressure Data o
Discreet Fourier
Transform Analysis of your data o
All statistical
results you’ve selected in the batch utilities program. Recording the Base of Support - Because
a subjects Base of Support area is often critical to the study of balance,
AMTI has reduced the tedium of figuring base of support locations and data
entry into the computer. The procedure
is to have the subject stand on the platform, then mark the points that best
indicate the margins of the base of support. The subject then stands off the
platform and a wand is used to press down on the marked margin positions.
These positions are automatically recorded.
Once completed the subject remounts the platform and acquisition is
begun.
Options
– Balance Clinic has many powerfull options and features. Some of the Setup
options are listed below.
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Filters – Filter selections are available in the range of 1, 2, 3, 5,10, 20, 30, 50, or 100 hertz, which may be applied to
Balance Clinic data files. You may view and analyze the data with different
filters applied.
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Trigger Setup - You
can set the software to trigger data collection in multiple ways.
v Computer keystroke v Platform pressure v External AccuSwayPlus
platform trigger.
Software
Compatibility – Balance Clinic can also
read AMTI Swaywin95 files. Reports
– 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. . Romberg Ratios - A clinician may set up Romberg Ratios in the protocol section
of Balance Clinic and have them printed out when the protocols are completed. |
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