Movement Tracks Project Is A Finalist At South By Southwest

Breakthrough Biomedical Music™ powered by Merging Technologies

Austin, TX, March 2018: A truly international cooperation has seen a radical new Biomedical Music™project nominated as a finalist at this prestigious event. On February 8, South by Southwest (SXSW) announced the Movement Tracks Project as a finalist for their Interactive Innovation Awards, which honor ground-breaking advancements from 2017. A collaboration between therapists and musicians to use Biomedical Music™ solutions to help people with movement disorders walk again, Movement Tracks will highlight the Gait Trainer 3 treadmill system from Biodex Medical Systems, Inc. at the March 11 SXSW Finalist Showcase.

Appropriately for an event in Austin, the Center for Music Therapy, Austin, Texas will feature innovative Gait Training technology from Biodex Medical Systems that merges therapist-informed music with a gait training treadmill system, as well as emerging “smart” wearable technologies to achieve better treatment outcomes for individuals with impaired movement. A key element of this system is the optimum audio quality needed to make the treatment effective. In his quest for the best, Stephen Bartlett, lead engineer on these special recordings, looked to industry leading brands to make this a reality. Merging Technologies, PMC and Rupert Neve are all providing key components for the project. The recordings are originated in DXD on Merging’s Pyramix and the replay for the patients is from a customized version of Ovation. This can provide the necessary adjustments in tempo and pitch that are essential for this therapy to be tailored to each patients’ unique condition.

“We are gratified to see organizations like SXSW bring the needed public attention to the dramatic improvements Biomedical Music brings to individuals with impaired movement,” said Hope Young, Executive Producer of Movement Tracks, a project of the Center For Music Therapy. “Especially those suffering from neurologic diseases like MS, Parkinson’s and Cerebral Palsy.”

The Biodex Gait Trainer 3 is an advanced gait training treadmill that combines audio cueing and visual biofeedback to help prompt correct movement during gait training. The instrumented deck unique to Biodex allows therapists to track various gait parameters and document patient progress. Last year, Movement Tracks Project produced historic recordings using principles of music-based therapy for treatment of movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.

These recordings, offered as an optional Music-Assisted Therapy Package with the Gait Trainer, combine with biofeedback to enhance neuroplasticity and drive faster outcomes. This is the first time informed music and biomedical technology have merged to bring this powerful evidence-based treatment to clinics around the world.

Young adds, “The results have been spectacular and this is a combination of the fantastic compositions, amazing musicians and the fidelity of the equipment. Merging Technologies have responded to our exacting requirements to get this project up and running and we will be working with them on a practical solution for high resolution playback in the therapy rooms.”

The Interactive Innovation Awards Finalist Showcase will take place on Sunday, March 11 followed by the Interactive Innovation Awards ceremony on Tuesday, March 13.
To learn about the Movement Tracks Project: www.movementtracksproject.com, Center for Music Therapy, Inc., visit www.centerformusictherapy.com, For Biodex Gait Trainer 3, visit www.biodex.com/gait.



Downloads:





Jessica Fagre, Stephen Bartlett, Cassie Shankman & Hope Young




Stephen Bartlett & Pyramix




Stephen Bartlett & Cassie Shankman Lead Composer




Biomedical Music Patient




Treadmill display




Movement Project Video with Pyramix


Merging Technologies SA is a Swiss manufacturer with over 25 years of experience in developing groundbreaking, professional Audio and Video products for a wide range of entertainment and media industries. With a dedicated user base in the elite end of the music, film, television, mastering and performances industries, Merging is committed to developing product ranges with unrivalled quality and flexibility, no matter what the application. Merging builds tools for people who want more from their systems, have an inherent need to push boundaries, and believe that quality always comes first.

Movement Tracks Project is a collaboration between therapists and musicians to create new methods in music composition and recording, utilizing Biomedical Music™solutions to help people walk again. The Movement Track’s team have made historic original musical recordings for use in biotechnologies, to help specifically, children with Cerebral palsy and adults with Parkinson’s to walk better while reducing falls. The project utilizes music’s power as a core catalyst in restoring, maintaining, and enhancing health through biotechnology. For more information, visit the Center for Music Therapy, Inc.

Biodex Medical Systems, Inc. manufactures and distributes medical devices for physical medicine, nuclear medicine, and molecular and medical imaging. It also provides balance assessment for concussion management as well as fall risk screening and conditioning programs. The Biodex commitment to innovative excellence spans more than 60 years. Their customer-driven support is why leading medical facilities around the globe call Biodex first. For more information, visit www.biodex.com.

About SXSW: Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries. The event, an essential destination for global professionals, features sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions, and a variety of networking opportunities. The Interactive Innovation Awards honors the best and latest advancements in the digital industry.