Impact Stories

The neural earbuds are equipped with powerful sensors that pick up facial micro-gestures, changes in air pressure, and head position. Described by Naqi's inventor Dave Segal as “a safe, noninvasive, universal, invisible, and silent command and control system”, they are equipped with an array of sensors that can pick up subtle facial movements including eye blinks or turning the head. These translate into control signals for digital devices such as smart-home tech, wheelchairs as well as augmented reality. 

Implementing evidence-based best practices in SCI clinical care ensures maximum functionality and cord recovery with fewer secondary complications following the injury. This in turn translates into a faster and more successful return to the community, leading to a better quality of life.

Maintaining adequate spinal cord perfusion pressure (SCPP), for the circulation of blood to the spinal cord at the time of injury and during recovery improves neurological recovery. Praxis has supported surgeon-scientist Dr. Brian Kwon and his team at the University of British Columbia (UBC) as they lead research on personalizing SCPP management to each SCI patient’s need.

Improved patient outcomes are being delivered by the Standing and Walking Assessment Tool (SWAT), which helps health practitioners target therapies to help those with incomplete SCI.

When clinicians follow best practices, people with SCI retain more physical functionality, emotional wellbeing, and autonomy; this is critical because retaining function means that people face fewer obstacles to independence and debilitating secondary health complications. In turn they are successful in returning to family and the community and achieving goals such as independence and walking. The Can-SCIP Coach App provides relevant clinical guidelines tailored to the person’s injury, sex, and phase of care, and brings best practices in SCI care to the clinician’s fingertips.

The ProACTIVE toolkit was developed with support from Praxis with input from more than 300 members of the SCI community in B.C. to change the game on activity. Physiotherapists and researchers from UBC and UBC Okanagan developed the toolkit to guide exercise done during rehabilitation and after returning to the community.

Indigenous Canadians experience greater challenges living with spinal cord injury (SCI) than the rest of the population. Since our unique Praxis model revolves around partnership, we’re working with Indigenous researchers and communities in order to prioritise and accelerate research and innovation that is relevant. Praxis initiatives include contributing to Indigenous academic research positions, gathering clinical data on SCI from Indigenous patients, and establishing connections with communities to bridge gaps in connection and engagement.

Praxis Spinal Cord Institute support and outreach for spinal cord stimulation (SCS) research across Canada is helping to raise awareness for this exciting new treatment in spinal cord injury (SCI). Grant funding, engagement with people with lived experience (PLEX), an SCS research hub, commercialization mentoring, and literature reviews all help to push opportunities for SCS through research and into the hands of users.

Praxis BC interior BC outreach brings best practices for SCI care to remote and rural practitioners. Lived perspectives boost local SCI care.