EDNA or Elements by Dynamic Neural Arts is an interactive therapy system created to assist in the rehabilitation of patients with an acquired brain injury, often due to trauma or stroke. Key to EDNA is the use of graspable tools, audio-visual feedback, and the tracking of patient activities for doctors and carers.
EDNA is made up of a series of short mini-games, puzzles, and exploratory tasks in which patients manipulate different graspable controllers of varying difficulties, to interact with a touch-screen display. Over time these tasks grow and evolve in response to different data-points specific to the patient’s abilities.
In joining the EDNA team my role was in interface and user experience design, with particular focus on making each layer of EDNA attractive and clear to patients. As past of the patient’s experience, specific attention was paid towards encouraging feedback loops to keep patients engaged in their exercises. Repetitive exercises have been shown to help regain lost brain function by promoting neuronal plasticity.
During the design and development of EDNA there were many different iterations involved in finding a suitable design to both patients, the team, and stakeholders including doctors and neuroscientists. Some earlier versions were dramatically different to the final result! You can learn more about these on developer Will Owen’s website.
Currently EDNA is being clinically trailed at hospitals across Australia, and in patient homes, allowing them to continue their rehabilitation therapy remotely. EDNA has also been featured by various media outlets including 7 News.
You can learn more about EDNA on the Dynamic Neural Arts website.
