ACM Multimedia 2010 International Conference (ACM MM 10)

the 16th Reach to Recovery International Breast Cancer Support Conference

PRESS: “Focus Taiwan” Headline of The Central News Agency 2010/12/08

The i-m-Space, an interactive multimedia rehabilitation space that helps the post-surgery recovery of breast cancer patients. Our goal is to improve patients’ physical therapy and psychological relaxation experience through careful applications of multimedia technology.

My Role in this project –

Director,  Program, Design & Author

Intro

i-m-Space consists of three types of breathing-based relaxation and three types for interactive exercise-based rehabilitation. Our inter-disciplinary team includes medical professionals, multimedia engineers, designers, and artists. We have implemented i-m-Space in an experimental space in collaboration a local breast cancer foundation (TBCF, Taiwan Breast Cancer Foundation).

The center offers six different rehabilitation training programs that feature LEDs, sensors and newly developed software. Patients can go through a one-hour exercise routine that is based on high-end computer technology and is tailored to individual needs, all free of charge.

Breathing-based Relaxation

Diaphragmatic breathing program with respiratory sensor.

 

In the diaphragmatic breathing program, for example, a sensor band attached to the patient tells the therapist whether or not the exercise is being done correctly, said Chien Chu-chun, a nurse at the Taiwan Breast Cancer Foundation (TBCF) that founded the center. “To help the patients relax, we have an overhead projector that displays videos of a figure doing the breathing exercise in a forest to soft relaxing music,” said Chien.

The forest scene turns into a night sky with stars that brighten or dim depending how deeply the patient breathes during the exercise, she said. Diaphragmatic breathing can calm the mind, Chien explained, adding that this is a state most cancer patients find difficult to achieve.

 

Test Running Video

*All the participants of this video has sign an agreement of appearing in this video publicly for education purpose.

 

At the center, patients can concentrate fully on the rehabilitation routines since the space is used by one person at a time, with an assigned therapist offering assistance.

 

Poster Download [1] [2]

 

Publication Download

i-m-Space: Interactive Multimedia-Enhanced Space for Rehabilitation of Breast Cancer Patients(Link)

ACM Multimedia 2010 International Conference (ACM MM 10′)

JU-CHUN KO, Wei-Han Chen, Meng-Chieh Yu, Han-Hung Lin, Jin-Yao Lin, Szu-Wei Wu, Yi-Yu Chung, I-Ling Hu, Wei-Ting Peng, Shih-Yao Lin, Chia Han Chang, Pei-Hsuan Chou, King-Jen Chang, Mei-Lan Chang, Sue-huei Chen, Jin-Shing Chen, Ming-Sui Lee, Mike Y. Chen, Yi-Ping Hung.