Visuospatial functions rehabilitation system AvDesk®

posturecomputer-assistedpediatric

Overview
AvDesk is a Class I medical device for the assessment and development of neuro-visual rehabilitation therapies in telemedicine. Developed from research started in 2010 in collaboration with research centres, AvDesk enables remote, home-based rehabilitation and monitoring using multisensory audiovisual stimulation, eye/head tracking and an integrated artificial intelligence system. It is designed to be simple to use, also for non-collaborating patients, and to allow specialists to deliver daily personalized therapies and monitor progress remotely.

History
AvDesk was born in 2010 from multi-year work by Linari Holding in collaboration with IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris Pisa. The device was conceived to allow remote rehabilitation so patients can stay in clinic only briefly and continue therapy at home. The system supports both cooperative patients (who can use a wireless button) and non-cooperative patients (using gaze and head tracking). Improvements are typically measurable in a short time, with appreciable results often after two weeks of treatment.

Operating principles
AvDesk’s rehabilitation approach is based on multisensory stimulation, combining spatially and temporally coordinated visual and auditory cues to promote neuroplasticity. The method leverages two neuroscientific foundations: multisensory integration (amplification of coincident visual and auditory stimuli) and adult brain plasticity (experience- and repetition-driven reorganization). The therapy requires intensity, repetition and active patient involvement.

Fields of application

• Hemianopia and quadrantanopia
• Unilateral spatial neglect
• Disorders of consciousness
• Nystagmus
• Geographic atrophy / maculopathy
• Post-stroke visual and neurological rehabilitation
• Cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease
• Attention and learning deficits (including pediatric SEN and SLD)
• Cognitive enhancement for athletes, pilots, professional drivers and military personnel

How AvDesk works
The system delivers spatially and temporally coordinated visual and auditory stimuli through a curved stimulation panel. The patient responds by pressing a wireless button or, for non-collaborating patients, via automatic gaze and head tracking. An integrated IR camera and AI monitor attention and posture in real time, verifying correct execution of exercises. Reaction times between auditory/visual stimulus and patient response are measured in milliseconds and used to quantify improvements. Therapies are personalized and defined daily by a certified specialist through the Linari Medical Cloud platform. To ensure effectiveness sessions should be performed in a quiet, dimly lit environment.

Key benefits and results

• Enables telemedicine-based neuro-visual rehabilitation with continuous remote supervision.
• Provides measurable metrics (reaction time, gaze/head tracking) and real-time monitoring of attention and posture.
• Designed to be portable and easy to install for home use; also available in clinic-adapted versions.
• Clinical reports show significant improvements in response times and visual detection capability; treatment protocols commonly involve daily sessions (approximately one hour total per day, spread into shorter sessions) for around 20 days, with notable gains often visible after two weeks.

Versions

• AvDesk Travel: portable, rollable carbon-fiber stimulation panel designed for home rehabilitation and transport in a cabin-sized mini trolley.
• AvDesk Lift: version with a motorized column and remote control allowing vertical, horizontal or diagonal positioning, intended for clinics, outpatient facilities and rehabilitation centers.

Components

• Stimulation panel: curved horizontal screen for delivery of spatially distributed visual and acoustic stimuli.
• Camera: high-resolution IR-capable camera integrated into the central panel for continuous patient monitoring (suitable for low-light/night vision).
• Guide arrows: group of light arrows to guide patient gaze back to panel center after each stimulation to ensure adherence.
• Wireless button: patient-operated signalling interface used to indicate detection of stimuli.
• Dedicated tablet (Microsoft Surface): interface for Linari Medical Cloud to manage therapies and visualize reports and graphs.
• Dedicated mini trolley: for easy transport, enabling rolling up the device for storage and air travel.
• Calibration mirror: used to calibrate ambient light and enhance visibility of visual stimuli.

Linari Medical Cloud (platform capabilities)

• Manage health plans and patient profiles.
• Define, deliver and update personalized rehabilitation therapies in telemedicine.
• Store health documents with security and privacy safeguards.
• Download reports and graphs on patient response times and progress.
• Produce therapy quotes, analyze therapy results and staff performance, monitor device usage and manage device rentals.
• Enable teleconsultation workflows where specialists remotely adapt protocols (sound intensity, stimulus position, LED color, etc.) based on measured progress.

Monitoring and assessment
AvDesk continuously monitors residual cognitive skills by tracking head and eye movements, aligning gaze and head with the stimulus and quantifying spatial gaps. Real-time processed graphs allow visualization of before/after therapy changes and adherence. The system measures reaction time in milliseconds to objectively document improvements.

Scientific background
AvDesk derives from over 20 years of research on neuro-visual deficits and neuroplasticity. The approach has been transferred to clinical practice with documented results in multiple pathologies and is supported by a body of scientific literature and publications.

Practical notes
Portable, light and foldable: the stimulation panel rolls up and can be placed on a standard desk. The device receives software updates via the cloud to add new treatment algorithms. Rental and operational-leasing options are available, including technical assistance and rapid replacement policies.

Caractéristiques / spécifications techniques

• Medical classification: Class I medical device.
• Integrated AI system with IR camera for gaze and head tracking and attention monitoring.
• Curved stimulation panel delivering coordinated visual and auditory stimuli; rollable carbon-fiber structure for the Travel version.
• Measurement capability: reaction times measured in milliseconds; real-time monitoring and reporting.
• Interfaces: wireless button for patient feedback and cloud-based management via a dedicated tablet interface.
• Portability: mini trolley for transport and airline-compatible dimensions in Travel configuration.
• Clinic adaptability: Lift version with motorized column for multi-orientation positioning.
• Data management: cloud platform for daily protocol definition, report downloading and remote therapy adjustment by certified specialists.
• Target users: adults and children, cooperative and non-cooperative patients with neuro-visual and cognitive deficits; also applicable to cognitive enhancement in high-performance contexts.
• Intellectual property: international patents covering EU, Switzerland, USA and Japan.