Ageing is linked to a decrease in fitness and mobility and increases the risk of a Stroke. In Europe, it is estimated that there are 1.13 million people suffering from a Stroke.
In the Netherlands this value is approximately 215.000. It is expected that this population has increased in size with 43.8% by the year 2025 (www.rivm.nl). Healthy living and a good physical fitness in particular, contribute strongly to the primary and secondary prevention of Stroke. Recent research shows that for the development and maintenance of good physical fitness, intensity of training is a key factor. The higher the intensity of training, the better the primary and secondary prevention of a stroke will be.
Up till now, training of mobility is given in rehabilitation and physiotherapy practice on a one to one basis. This means that a patient is treated individually and supervised continuously. The latter is necessary due to the impaired balance of these patients and the associated risks of falls. As a result of the ageing population, numbers of patients that require this kind of care will increase while the number of professionals that can deliver this type of training will decrease. This means that one-to-one training of mobility is under pressure in current (semi-)clinical practice. Training systems that enable patients to independently train walking and balance in a safe way are therefore required. The envisioned project SAFE (Self Administered Functional walking Exercise) combines the technological focus areas mechatronics and neuroscience to increase independency (in terms of balance, walking ability and fitness) of elderly as well as stroke patients (and other patient categories with impaired balance and walking) by letting them train in a safe and self administered independent way.

The aim of this project: