Ep 40 - Dr Jo Nunnerly | Utilising Virtual Reality for Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation

Good Clinical has teamed up with Te Titoki Mataora, the MedTech Research Translator, to bring you the Te Titoki Mataora Podcast Series.This weeks guest is Dr Jo Nunnerley, a physiotherapist and researcher based at the University of Otago. We chat about Jo's development of a virtual reality tool for supporting individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI), a project supported by Te Titoki Mataora.Jo and her team have developed the tool alongside expert clinicians, physiotherapists, and individuals who have experienced TBI. The tool, set in a simulated café environment, helps patients practice navigating real-world social situations while identifying and managing fatigue and memorisation. Jo also talks about her personal experience of stroke, the commercialisation journey of the project, future plans to incorporate AI, and the importance of collecting biometric data to enhance the tool’s functionality.You can find out more about Dr Jo Nunnerley here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-nunnerley/Podcast Takeaways:Traumatic brain injury affects up to 36,000 New Zealanders per year, ranging from a mild brain injury such as concussion, to more severe cases.Jo’s personal experience as a stroke survivor brought crucial insight into how fatigue can impact recovery and rehabilitation. The VR tool provides patients with a realistic, relatable environment for practicing social interactions and managing fatigue, which can be difficult to replicate in traditional clinical settings. Collaboration with individuals who have lived experience of TBI has been essential in creating a more effective and user-centred rehabilitation tool. The project is moving toward further development with plans to enhance the tool by incorporating AI, heart rate monitoring, and eye-tracking technology to better assess and support patient progress. The next steps include conducting larger clinical trials and introducing the tool into clinical care in New Zealand, with the potential to expand globally.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to TBI05:50 Current TBI management regimes and inequities09:52 Jo's VR tool for TBI rehabilitation and how it works22:10 Jo's personal experience with stroke26:43 Developing the VR tool alongside TTM support32:10 Next steps for the VR project▶️ 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐊𝐄𝐘𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒:- Traumatic Brain Injury, Virtual Reality, Rehabilitation, Fatigue Management, Clinical Trials, HealthTech, New Zealand, Patient Care, Innovative Technology, Neurology