The BalanceBelt is a patented haptic feedback wearable that helps patients suffering from severe balance disorders such as Bilateral Vestibular Loss (BVL).
By providing feedback on body position and balance, it allows the wearer to:
The BalanceBelt is a patented haptic feedback wearable that helps patients suffering from severe balance disorders such as Bilateral Vestibular Loss (BVL).
By providing feedback on body position and balance, it allows the wearer to:
People who suffer from this condition continuously feel unstable and out of balance. They have trouble walking without walking aids, especially on uneven surfaces and in the dark, because they no longer receive (sufficient) information from their balance organs.
Not only can BVL / BVH cause physical injuries due to an increased risk of falling, it also tends to inhibit people from performing regular physical exercise. This may lead to other problems, such as lower energy (fitness), weight problems, and heart and vascular issues.
Overall, the condition restricts people in their ability to move freely and independently, resulting in a lower quality of life.
The BalanceBelt helps BVL / BVH patients by substituting the missing balance information with vibrations (haptic feedback). It works as follows:
The BalanceBelt was developed in collaboration with renowned vestibular expert Prof. Dr Kingma.
As a Professor in Clinical Vestibulology at the Maastricht University Medical Centre+ (The Netherlands), Prof. Dr Kingma treated many patients with vestibular disorders. He developed the BalanceBelt as a substitute to the existing invasive and unsustainable treatments for severe balance disorders.
Clinical trials have demonstrated that the BalanceBelt can lead to a significant improvement in the quality of life for people suffering from severe Bilateral Vestibular Loss (BVL).
Follow-up studies are scheduled to start in Q4 2021, at medical centres in Denmark and The Netherlands.
If you would like to try the BalanceBelt for yourself or your patients, please fill in the form below. We will be in touch as soon as possible.
The inner ear, or vestibular system, controls balance and tells your body where you are in space. Both inner ears are connected to the brain and the eyes.
Bilateral Vestibular Loss (BVL) is a complete loss of vestibular function in both inner ears. Partial damage to both inner ears is called Bilateral Vestibular Hypofunction (BVH).
People with BVL or BVH have difficulty maintaining balance, especially when walking in the dark or on uneven surfaces. This can lead to an increased risk of falling, visual blurring, dizziness, imbalance, and a degradation in overall physical condition.
The BalanceBelt is a slim, lightweight belt that helps patients suffering from Bilateral Vestibular Hypofunction or Loss by providing haptic feedback on body position and balance. The haptic feedback is interpreted subconsciously, allowing the wearer to correct their posture and balance.
The BalanceBelt is a wearable that uses haptic feedback or small vibrations to stimulate the sense of touch. This activates the wearer’s proprioception, the sense that lets us perceive the location, movement and action of parts of the body.
The belt senses the direction the wearer is leaning toward and provides vibrational feedback to alert the wearer about their body position. The wearer interprets these vibrations subconsciously, corrects his or her posture and improves their balance this way.
Clinical trials have shown a significant improvement in the quality of life for people suffering from BVH and BVL. The belt may benefit patients suffering from other balance disorders, but additional clinical trials are necessary to investigate this. In the meantime, it is best to consult your Balance Specialist to determine whether the BalanceBelt may be beneficial for you.
The BalanceBelt weighs only 285 grams / 10 oz. (size M).
The BalanceBelt has undergone extensive patient testing, under the guidance of Prof. Dr Herman Kingma of Maastricht University. The latest study was reported in the Journal of Neurology: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00415-018-9133-z.