Ursula Costa is the Head of Clinical Affairs at Hocoma AG, an established neural rehabilitation company based in Zurich, Switzerland. She is a licensed physical therapist who has recovered herself from a spinal cord injury as a young girl and then nurtured her passion for neurorehabilitation. She holds a PhD from Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona in Physical Therapy and has held a professorship at the same university.

Takeaway: Rehabilitation technology is a tool to help the patient gain maximum potential not a tool to do the motion passively. Technology coupled with rehabilitation aids in the achievement of neuroplasticity and physical recovery.

[0:00] Jen French of Neurotech Reports introduces Ursula Costa from Hocoma at RehabWeek 2019. [0:37] Hocoma AG was the initiator of the RehabWeek concept. Costa explains what the event means to them and connecting with clinicians. [1:27] Through the lens of a physical therapist, Costa talks about her personal story of recovery from a spinal cord tumor and how that motivated her to study physical therapy. [2:37] The line of Hocoma products focus on neural rehabilitation. They have introduced robotics into the field as well. Costa walks us through some of the technology and the challenge of clinical adoption. [3:45] Costa discusses the principle of neuroplasticity and intensity in rehabilitation and how technology can help assist in the rehabilitation process. [4:51] Costa talks about the excitement for the future of rehabilitation and the mindset change about efficiencies of technology and personalization of rehabilitation.