Jintronix Announces FDA Clearance for Breakthrough in Physical Rehabilitation

SEATTLE, May 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Jintronix (www.jintronix.com), a company radically changing how patients rehabilitate from stroke or other injury, announced today that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the Jintronix rehabilitation system. This FDA clearance is the first time the Microsoft Kinect has been approved for use directly by patients in a healthcare setting. The motion tracking, visual feedback and flexible platform of the Kinect make it ideal for providing immediate feedback for physical therapy patients. The Jintronix system combines game development theory with common physical therapy exercises to provide patients an optimal rehabilitation experience. In addition, the practitioners have unparalleled transparency into how the patient is progressing.

Meant to work alongside traditional physical therapy, the Jintronix solution offers game-like exercises that accelerate recovery. Patients receive instantaneous feedback on their success or failure to perform the therapy. Additionally, Jintronix provides clinicians with quantitative performance data enabling them to track the patients and update exercises or parameters remotely as progress is made. The result is an increase in the patient's desire to keep up with the regimen.

"The FDA clearance is an important step in the adoption of new Internet connected consumer technologies in healthcare," said Daniel Schacter, co-founder of Jintronix. "As consumers become more familiar with technologies such as motion capture and facial recognition, we think the opportunities for consumer-based technologies to change healthcare are enormous. Our solution for the Kinect is an important entrant - patients really enjoy playing the games on our system while clinicians are thrilled by the medical foundation of the activities. We want to see our system in the home of every patient who needs neurological or orthopaedic rehab."

"Jintronix's work to assist with the delivery of physical therapy by leveraging Kinect technology, brings together themes that are resonating with therapists, physicians and patients around the world," said Bill Crounse, MD, Senior Director, Worldwide Health, Microsoft. "While the patient receives a more fulfilling and engaging experience during physical therapy that is easy to access and provides immediate feedback, clinicians are getting more information than they have ever had before--information that is transmitted via the cloud and informs therapists about the patient's day-to-day progress. The promise is for therapy that is more efficient, more personal, more convenient and can help lower the cost of care while improving outcomes. We believe that this clearance from the FDA is an important turning point for Kinect technology in physical therapy, and also a recognition that healthcare is on a clear path toward change."

Jintronix is tackling major challenges associated with rehabilitation.

• Improve patients' compliance with their rehabilitation regimen. Up to 65% of patients fail to adhere fully—or at all—with their programs.  Jintronix has gamified the exercises creating a fun atmosphere for the patient to meet physical therapy goals.
• Increase accessibility of rehabilitation. The Jintronix solution can be located in a clinic, but also in the patient's home all while being monitored by health professionals. 
• Address the high cost of rehabilitation. One-to-one, in-person rehabilitation is expensive and healthcare plans cover limited sessions.  The low-cost Kinect makes the mechanism for rehabilitation delivery much more affordable.

For more information on Jintronix, please visit their website at www.Jintronix.com.

About Jintronix:
Jintronix is a Seattle-based company that provides an innovative solution in the area of physical therapy. Jintronix is developing a cost-effective physical rehabilitation software for hospitals, clinics and home use. Jintronix is the 2012 grand prize winner at the International Start-up Festival hosted in Montreal and a graduate of the prestigious Microsoft Kinect Accelerator program run by Techstars. Jintronix is funded by Madrona Venture Group.

For more information, visit www.jintronix.com.
CONTACT:
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Jintronix