Clinicians typically recommend a repositioning program using power seat functions to help their clients avoid painful pressure ulcers and skin breakdown, as well as build on progress made during rehabilitation. But what happens when the client goes home? The problem many clinicians face is getting their clients to maintain that consistent repositioning regimen for improved health, well-being and independence.

The University of Pittsburgh’s Human Engineering Research Laboratories and Permobil have partnered to provide the solution. The patent-pending Virtual Seating Coach will allow clinicians to program appropriate seating recommendations, remind their clients to keep up their good work, and track the progress… all with a smartphone!

How the Virtual Seating Coach Works:

Through an app installed on the client’s smartphone, clinicians will be able to set a specific seating and positioning regimen including power options such as tilt, recline and power legrest. The regimen also defines time to stay in position as well as time in between reminders. The app will then provide reminders to the client when it’s time to reposition. The clinician and client are able to view the compliance of the regimen and can thereby discuss the actual use and how to optimize it.

To be able to use the application you need a service technician to add the virtual seating coach bluetooth dongle to the wheelchair and your clinician and clinic needs to be connected to the virtual seating coach service at permobil.