Today in Spain I started off with a quick breakfast of a chocolate croissant, scrambled eggs, and fruits. After that we hopped on a bus and went to a hospital where the Gogoa company was using their technology. Gogoa started off by designing exoskeletons to help with the rehabilitation for patients with things such as Parkinson’s. From there they expanded to creating other technologies such as a device that sends electric shocks to certain nerves. These shocks help calm people down and strengthen certain neurological pathways. Another interesting device was one which tested the reaction times of patients which we got to try out and compete against our peers.
After leaving the hospital we took another quick bus ride to the main campus of the University of the Basque Country. Here we visited the building for medicine, nursing, and physical therapy. In this building we were able to see a lot of interesting medical as well. In one room were devices for thermotherapy through the use of electromagnetic waves and in another were devices for measuring force outputs during concentric and eccentric movements. The most interesting one was a room filled with a bunch of different cameras. Through these cameras they were able to track three dimensional movement, measure force outputs, and also measure muscle contractions. Through this device they are able to simulate movement in simulations which can be used in movies and animations.
Next, we listened to Dr. Abramowitch’s lecture on pelvic floor dysfunction for women after child birth. Pelvic floor dysfunction is when the organs in the pelvic region are no longer supported causing them to start to shift. This can lead to problems such as incontinence and pain for the patient. In order to treat this doctors were using a mesh to support the organs by connecting them to bone. However, this was causing tissue scarring causing changes to be made. What Dr. Abramowitch’s research focused on was trying to simulate childbirth, and create a “digital twin”, using software to see which patients would be at greater risk of developing pelvic floor dysfunction.
Following this we went to San Juan de Gazelugatxe which is this beautiful church by the sea. This place was known for its great scenery and being in scenes from Game of Thrones. We started by walking down a winding path from the hills down to the ocean. Here we got some great pictures and enjoyed the great summer weather. Finally, we reached the church and rang the bell of the church. The water was crystal clear and the churning waves were really calming. To end the day, we walked along the beach and I had some tasty blackberry gelato! Overall, today was pretty amazing!