Reflections on the Trip
While our team safely arrived back in the United States on Friday, May 24th, we did still have the chance to reflect on the trip. All eight team members were encouraged to submit either an area where we felt we learned more about the projects, or a way where we saw how God worked. Also, we submitted a favorite memory from the trip (which did not necessarily have to be related to the projects).
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All of the members of the travel team found so many things to appreciate in the many ways God's hand was present throughout the week, and also the many new things we learned about our projects. David summarized the impact of the clinical time, as he "found the clinical setting provided both feedback and motivation. Seeing where our devices could make a difference and meeting people our device could help really boosted [his] already optimistic outlook. Hearing how current clinicians adjust and use similar devices gave us a lens into what we should provide in the clinical setting and what meaningful adjustable parameters would look like. Seeing just how widespread the application of the FES and SCO devices could be and observing the real need for these technologies at a reasonable price gave all the needed encouragement and motivation to tackle the work ahead in the coming semesters. With a lot of God’s help and a little hard work we can make a real difference with our Collaboratory projects." These sentiments were echoed by many of the other team members, also emphasizing an expanded scope of conditions we realized our devices could help with.
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Additionally, our team saw the way God worked through many different ways in which He blessed us on our trip. From the good weather we experienced almost every day, to team devotionals, to clinic experiences and feedback, we saw the hand of God in our trip. Mr. Watkins "felt overwhelmed and blessed by the attention the clinicians gave us during our visit. God truly answered our prayers by allowing us to connect with these experts and gain valuable feedback. [He] also feels as though we have made friends in England and supporters of our assistive devices." Similarly, Dr. Farris noted that "it was humbling to see God’s hand in each day of this trip, particularly manifesting in the generosity of our hosts during our clinical visits. It is uncommon for product developers to get that kind of unhurried and undivided attention even from paid clinical partners, let alone completely unpaid. Physiofunction and the West Midlands Rehabilitation Center both expressed appreciation for our mission and seemed to genuinely desire to be part of what we are trying to do for the world." Essentially, the trip was an overwhelmingly positive experience, allowing both teams to come away with renewed motivation and a better sense of how God can work through us and what we are trying to do for His people with these projects.
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Regarding everyone's favorite memories, Brandon thought the entire trip was "absolutely incredible. [He] felt so blessed to see Stonehenge, Parliament, the Tower of London, etc. but none of that competed with seeing the vision for the future of the projects come into such clear focus during our clinical visits." Dr. Farris echoed a similar sentiment, as he found it encouraging "that in addition to our daily devotionals as a team, our conversation throughout our travels frequently came back to matters of spiritual significance. It was a special week of focus on our mission…why we’re doing what we’re doing with these medical technologies, and who we are trying to help."
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David "really enjoyed roaming the streets of Bath and London. The thing [he] enjoyed probably most of all was attending Martins in Salisbury Cathedral. Hearing the beautiful voices of the choir, both young and old, while in such a beautiful church was an amazing experience. Roaming through the airports and playing cards at night with the group was a hoot."
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Mr. Watkins thought that hearing about Hounslow (the city we visited on Thursday) and our two alumnae's work of sharing good news was wonderful. He noted that "they feel called to an area that has a reputation similar to Nazareth from the NT. We heard several people “scoff” (in a kind way) when they heard we would be visiting Hounslow, and they said similar concepts to “Can anything good come from Hounslow?” While we weren’t there long, it was good to hear about how God is moving there."
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Other highlights of the trip included "visiting the Tower of London and seeing the Crown Jewels" (Summer), "interacting with the group, partners, and patients" (Emily), "navigating during the car rides to take us down the most scenic routes possible" (Laurel), and "Brandon's photoshoot in the flowers at Stonehenge" (Callan). Everyone enjoyed the opportunity to connect more and grow closer to the team that we traveled with, and the multitude of moments we had for connection were one of the things that made this trip so valuable.
We truly appreciate you for reading this blog, and following along on our trip. Thank you to our families, churches, classmates, and other friends who made this trip possible for us. Most of all, we thank God for blessing our experiences before and during the trip. Please continue to pray for these teams as we continue our work into future semesters. Thank you for reading!
Day 6: Adventures in London - 5/23/2024
This morning, we woke up in Hounslow, a town on the outskirts of London. We ate breakfast at the hotel, and then we met up a with two Messiah alumni who live in the area. They explained that Hounslow has a really large population of immigrants and refugees, particularly from southeast Asia. Thus, this is one of the less popular areas in London. Amy (Class of 2000) and Lindsay (Class of 2010) both live and serve on the same outreach team in London. We got to hear about their stories and some of their experiences, and then they showed us to a local spot for lunch.
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After lunch, we had the chance to experience the culture of the more Central London. First, we navigated the Underground (the metro) to get to the Tower of London. We had decided to try and tour the Tower of London, and a kind lady at the tickets desk gave us a discount on tickets for our educational group. While wandering during the self-guided tour, we got to read about some of its history as a fortress and how it was renovated by different monarchs. We even got to see the crown jewels. We all had fun with this, and it took up a large part of our afternoon.
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To finish up the day, we walked around London and saw a few sight such as Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, the Thames, Parliament, and Big Ben. After 20,000 steps, our day ended back at the hotel after another Underground ride, where only a few members of the team fell asleep. Tomorrow is our travel day home, closing out our trip. Thanks for following along on our adventure!
Day 5: Physiofunction Day Two - 5/22/24
On day five of the FES+SCO adventure, we had our second day at Physiofunction. Today was another late start, so we enjoyed breakfast together at the hotel again and then headed to the clinic. We did have to pack up our bags today because we were heading towards London after visiting Physiofunction.
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At Physiofunction today, we had the chance to observe another patient who uses multiple different types of ankle support, one of which is an FES device. With her permission, we were able to observe a clinical session with her and also ask a few questions about what she would look for in an FES stimulator or a brace. She gave us some of her ideal qualities, which included that the device or brace should be really low-profile so it doesn't stand out, it should be comfortable to wear, and it should work consistently so she could trust the device. This feedback from a patient was good for us to hear, because as engineers we can sometimes forget that our designs are serving a real person.
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After lunch, which Physiofunction graciously provided, we got the chance to see what a PACE FES stimulator feels like and how it functions. It is typically hooked up to a foot switch to tell the system when to stimulate the user's leg. We are actually receiving a PACE unit from Physiofunction, as they had an extra they are letting us use, so some of the team was trained on how to use it. Even Mr. Watkins decided he'd try being hooked up to stimulation!
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We also had the chance to see some Extern AFOs which are used to help with footdrop. Today was an exciting day because we were able to see some different types of solutions to the problems we are also trying to solve, and we got patient feedback on how we could create the best possible or most user-friendly version of what we are trying develop.
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After Physiofunction, we had two hours in the car on the road to Hounslow, which is situated on the outskirts of London. We settled in briefly, walked to grab some yummy Italian food for dinner, and then headed back to the hotel. At the hotel, most of us gathered to play a card game or two which was enjoyable and a fun time of fellowship. All too soon, we headed to our rooms for bed to prepare for more adventures tomorrow.
Day 4: First Day at PhysioFunction - 5/21/2024
Today was a later start, and the team met at breakfast around 8:15. After fellowshiping over breakfsast together, we had a few minutes to get ready to go. The plan was to get to our partner's clinic, Physiofunction, around 11am. We got a brief tour around the premises courtesy of John Graham, and then he and Matt White graciously listened to a presentation of the two projects. They provided good feedback, and we were able to have the opportunity to experiment with different FES stimulators as they compared the FES team's circuit to existing market devices. Regarding the FES system, they said that they were pleasantly surprised with how well it stimulated and they see the potential for our system, especially based on how low cost the final system could be. They appreciated the SCO design as well because they recognized that its size is very good for the functionality it'll provide, and they even saw potential for the SCO to be used a therapeutic device.
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Next, we moved to experiencing some lower leg stimulation that is used on patients, and Summer had the chance to help adjust the stimulator as Callan was walking. We also tried shoulder stimulation that the Physiofunction clinic uses on patients, which was a new area that we hadn't tried before. Finally, we had the chance to watch a patient at Physiofunction who would benefit from FES use it for the first time, and we observed how the clinician used FES as a therapeutic device which encouraged the patient to walk more normally.
After finishing at Physiofunction, we headed to the University of Cambridge Library so that we could visit an exhibition of English writers and see some famous murder mysteries. While we weren't allowed to visit the main reading room because it's exam time for Cambridge students, we did get to see some of the side areas which still housed plenty of books. After visiting Cambridge, we had the chance to walk around the city a little on an adventure to find a place for dinner. Despite the rain, we did have a really pretty walk, especially after dinner back to the cars. Tomorrow, we will spend more time at Physiofunction and then head to London!
Day 3: Our First Day of Clinic Visits - 5/20/2024
Welcome back to the adventures of the FES + SCO team in England. Today, we had our first day of clinic observation. After enjoying a traditional English breakfast this morning, we headed to the West Midlands Rehabilitation Center for a day of observation and demonstrating our projects.
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First, the teams got a brief introduction to the FES clinic housed in the rehabilitation center, which included some of the technology they currently work with. We also got to see comparisons between the older versions of FES and the more recent ones, as FES technology was relatively recently developed in 1992. After the tour the FES team gave their presentation on the technology they've been working on, while members of the SCO team dispersed to observe different areas of the center.
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Emily got the chance to observe the specialist clinic with Dr. Chughtai, where she observed his interactions with patients who had unique circumstances surrounding their mobility problems. Up in the workshop, Laurel and David met Dave, a technician who gave some insight into the design of the SCO brace as he was familiar with brace fabrication as well as prosthetic fabrication. Meanwhile, the FES presentation went well. The observers had a lot of good feedback and positive things to say about the FES device, which was exciting to hear.
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After lunch, the SCO team presented to the orthotics team while Summer had the chance to observe an FES patient in the clinic downstairs. Overall, the SCO presentation went smoothly despite some minor equipment malfunctions. Again, the audience from the clinic had good ideas and some critiques of the design, which gives the team a good avenue for improvement in the future.
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To close out the day, the teams left the clinic and visited the Cadbury factory for a treat after a productive day (chocolate galore!). After driving about an hour to the next hotel, enjoying scenery along the way, we settled in as we are here for two nights. Dinner tonight was at a local pub and carvery, where we ate outside to enjoy the sunny weather. Brandon led us in a devotional focusing on the excitement we should feel to know God is with us, and the places where we personally may feel more connected to God.
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Back at the hotel, the evening held a brief summary of the plan for tomorrow and then a decision to disperse to bed. However, a subset of the group gathered to play card games. Although Brandon held the crown for a while, he was eventually dethroned, and thus the last of the party headed to bed.
Day 2: Settling In - 5/19/2024
Today was a fun and productive day, starting in Amesbury. As today is a Sunday, the teams began by getting up for an 8:00 communion service at the Salisbury Cathedral. We drove about twenty minutes, and enjoyed a short walk to the cathedral in the brisk English morning. The Salisbury Cathedral is an Anglican church, and after staying for the communion service we chose to stay for a "Choral Mattins" service as well. Overall, it was a peaceful morning spent worshipping God in a new place.
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As the clinic we are visiting on Monday was more north, a large portion of today was travel and exploration. We stopped in Bath to appreciate the architecture (hooray, civil engineers and stonemasons!), stretch our legs, and eat lunch. Some of the team even had the chance to appreciate some English culture by enjoying an English afternoon tea. After Bath, we spent more time on the road working our way to Birmingham for the clinic tomorrow and our inn for the night. After grabbing dinner and enjoying fellowship at a nearby Indian restaurant, we settled down for a few hours of preparing for the clinic visit tomorrow.
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Before we got into work this evening, Laurel led a devotional focusing on Psalm 146, and how important praise is in a relationship with God. After the devotional, we pulled out our prototypes to ensure they made the journey safely. Despite a moment of concern with the FES circuit and a small malfunction with the SCO brace, both the FES and SCO prototypes work well enough and are ready for demonstration in the morning. To wrap up our work for the day, we spent time preparing our slideshows for the brief presentations we'll give about our projects tomorrow. Altogether, it was a pleasant day with a good balance of work and play, and we are all ready for tomorrow's clinic visit as our trip really gets started.
Day 1: Travel and Arrival - 5/18/2024
Today was Day One of the FES+SCO teams' adventure to England! An ordinary two hour drive to the airport began our day of travel, as we then rode a plane for 5.5 hours to Keflavik, Iceland. When we landed, it was about 4:30am (1:30am EST). We then had a layover for about an hour, and ate a very early breakfast. Our next flight left Keflavik at 6:30am (2:30am EST), landing us in the Stansted Airport in England around 10:30am local time (5:30am EST).
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Navigation was a theme of the day today, as after landing in Stansted there was a quest to find the rental cars, and then for Dr. Farris and Mr. Watkins to learn to drive "backwards" on the left side of the road. After a few laps around the parking lot, we were reading to embark towards Stonehenge, our destination for the day. On the way, we encountered many of our new favorite obstacles – roundabouts. Doing them normally is fun but doing them backwards is twice the fun! Because we were landing on a weekend and due to the path we were going to travel to visit clinics, we wanted to spend today staying awake, adjusting to the local time, and sightseeing as we could not visit clinics today. The clinic visits will begin starting Monday, as those are the real purpose of our trip. Thus, our adventure to Stonehenge began. Thankfully, God was with us in our travels today and we arrived to Stonehenge safely.
Stonehenge was an absolutely amazing site to visit. We got to admire the beauty of God's creation as we walked thirty minutes from the visitor center through fields of wildflowers towards Stonehenge. As we crested a hill and were able to see Stonehenge in the distance, our team had a few things to say such as: "Wow", "Cool", and "BIG ROCKS!". After wending our way towards it, admiring its beauty, and taking a few pictures, we gathered in a devotional time led by Mr. Watkins. He urged us into discussing Psalm 121, and where our anxieties could be holding us back from seeing God's work.
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To conclude the day, we walked back to the Stonehenge visitor center, took in some exhibits in the museum there, and headed to the rental cars. With us all being drained after a long day, we decided to check in to our hotel, drop our stuff off, and grab dinner. All in all, a long but fulfilling first day of travel.
Preparing to Travel - 5/12/2024
As May 17th draws nearer, members of the FES (Functional Electric Stimulation) and SCO (Stance Control Orthosis) teams are preparing to leave for England. For some of us, this may even be our first time out of the country. As a reminder of the purpose our travel, we are traveling to meet our partner, Physiofunction, as well as visit The Orthotics Clinic in Birmingham. We will also have the opportunity to engage with friends in London who work with an outreach group.
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For a reminder on what our teams our doing, the FES team is creating a device to address gait impairments like foot drop through the application of electrical stimulation during the gait cycle. As the device detects the user’s gait, it will send an electrical signal to the peroneal nerve, lifting the user’s foot as it swings forward and releasing it as they shift their weight forward. Using electrical stimulation (instead of a rigid brace that locks the ankle) encourages muscle strength and development, resulting in more mobile and sustainable (“normal”) gait patterns.
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In addition, the SCO team is creating a device to automatically lock a knee brace when the user needs support when they’re walking, and automatically unlock so they can swing their leg normally. This uses sensors located at the knee to tell the brace when to lock and unlock. A device like this will allow users with mobility impairments to walk as normally as possible to encourage muscle development and strength, like the FES system.
Thanks for following our journey, we're excited to keep you updated on our trip!
