The CrossCare project kicked off in March: HoloMoves is developing an exergame aimed at the executive and physical challenges that rehabilitation patients with brain injuries encounter during outdoor activities, such as a visit to the store. In collaboration with Zuyd University of Applied Sciences and LiCa Lab, this app is being tailored to the needs of the patients.

CrossCare 2.0

The CrossCare project promotes, supports, and accelerates healthcare innovations. CrossCare contributes to the development and implementation of healthcare innovations (product, service, concept) by offering a research-in-care environment and provides a fund that can support innovation projects. CrossCare offers an accessible path to scaling up healthcare innovation. It is a cross-border project from Interreg Flanders–Netherlands and provides both practical and financial support.
With eight healthcare labs in Flanders and the Netherlands, CrossCare enables healthcare innovations to be tested and further developed by end users. Slimmer Leven, together with its members, forms one of the eight labs where SMEs can conduct testing.

In the first successful CrossCare project (2016–2021), Flemish and Dutch healthcare labs supported 30 healthcare innovations. On Wednesday, May 17, 2023, INTERREG Flanders–Netherlands approved the follow-up project: “CrossCare 2.0.” Over the next three years, CrossCare 2.0 will continue along this path, once again facilitating the development and implementation of innovations in the healthcare and welfare sectors.

On the one hand, companies/healthcare organizations developing innovations can receive financial support from the CrossCare Innovation Fund — up to €100,000 per organization. On the other hand, healthcare labs on both sides of the border also support selected companies/organizations by demonstrating/testing/evaluating innovations with end users. These care labs are experts in co-creation and real-life testing with care users and professionals in their own living and working environments. They offer this expertise for free within this project.

HoloMoves and CrossCare: Game Development for Stroke (CVA) Patients

With the help of the CrossCare 2.0 grant, HoloMoves is developing an innovative Mixed Reality game that helps people with brain injuries – especially stroke (CVA) patients – practice Activities of Daily Living (ADL). Through gamification, patients can train more intensively, spend more time on task, and enjoy the training more, all while saving therapists time.

Our first prototype focused on the everyday task of making tea. This activity encourages two-handed actions and planning – important skills for independent functioning.

We are now continuing development to turn this prototype into a full-fledged game that supports patients after their rehabilitation period with participating in daily life. Research shows that therapists especially need a game that helps train outdoor activities, as these are much harder to practice within a rehabilitation center. Therefore, our game will increasingly focus on the executive and physical challenges patients face during activities like shopping.

Thanks to the collaboration with the research labs of Zuyd University of Applied Sciences and LiCa Lab, we can thoroughly test our prototypes in both the Netherlands and Belgium. To ensure the best possible testing in Flanders and South Netherlands, we are very pleased with the support of these labs. They bring valuable expertise in setting up a suitable test protocol, ensuring that we develop a product that truly meets the needs of stroke patients and their rehabilitation process.

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