May 24, 2024
Thanks to the Balance Mat – a world-first Australian technology – allied health, medical and research professionals can now measure people’s standing balance in a series of 20-second electronic tests.
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The Balance Mat is an Australian-made, patented balance testing device that has been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) that uses proprietary algorithms to measure a person’s postural sway or “balance.” It comprises a computerised floor mat with an internal mesh of optical fibre and an online test results system.
The system is operated by a computer or laptop running Windows 10 or 11. Balance data is displayed as a dynamic graph and score: the higher the score and spikier the graph, the greater the degree of postural sway and the poorer the person’s balance. The final graph, score, biodata, health status and relevant notes can be captured in the test results system for comparison over time.
The BESS Balance Mat is for physiotherapists, exercise physiologists and sports scientists working in the area of concussion care. It enables three separate balance tests in the feet together, tandem and dominant-foot single-leg stances, all with the athlete’s eyes closed.
The Multimetric Balance Mat is mainly for doctors, nurses, exercise physiologists and physiotherapists, particularly in the “agewell” and sports sectors. It enables a sequence of four 20-second balance tests (normal, tandem, left foot, right foot).
The Neurometric Balance Mat is for allied health and medical practitioners and balance researchers working in falls prevention, ageing and neurological conditions. It enables a sequence of 12 separate 20-second balance tests, each with eyes open and eyes closed.
Canberra company Balance Mat Pty Ltd is the developer and manufacturer of Balance Mat technology and systems. The company owns the intellectual property underpinning its patented Australian Balance Mat technology.
The company partners with university researchers, supports research partners and clients, carries out data management and quality assurance, and develops Balance Mat software in response to user requirements.
Since 2016 the company has collaborated with COTA ACT and COTA SA, University of Canberra, Hastings Medical Centre, RMIT University and Edith Cowan University to develop and validate its balance testing system.
The Balance Mat measures a person’s static balance during a series of 20-second tests, providing a graph and score of postural sway while standing as still as they can.
A standard test goes for 20 seconds. This can be shortened at the practitioner’s discretion.
At the end of each test the practitioner can upload the graph and score to the online test results system, along with biodata and notes. The practitioner accesses their data via a unique user ID and password.
The practitioner assesses the information provided by the Balance Mat alongside other tests to decide whether the person needs specialist, medical or allied health referral.
A sensor inside the mat sends and receives light through a mesh of optical fibre. Pressure on the mat changes the light signal, and a microprocessor sends the data to a connected Windows 10 or 11 computer, which shows a dynamic graph and score.
It can be used for research, analysis, diagnosis, therapy and comparison, including falls prevention, fitness monitoring, progress tracking, physiotherapy, exercise physiology and rehabilitation.
The University of Canberra opened the doors of its Robotics Lab to a local television crew in May 2022, where Dr Ghahramani led a discussion on the Balance Mat technology and the calibration robot she helped to develop.
Direct measurement. Force plates measure the centre of pressure as an indirect index of postural stability. The Balance Mat measures postural sway directly.
Ease of use and portability. The mat is only 6mm thick, making it easy, safe and non-threatening for older people to stand on, and light enough for mobile services.
Instant results. Real-time data lets the practitioner and client view and work on the client’s balance ability together.
You can buy a Balance Mat from $1,800 or subscribe for as little as $75 per month. Balance Metrix is the supplier of Balance Mat systems. See the options on the Shop page.
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Tel: (02) 6162 5100 or Mob: 0457 123 852
Email: Ian.Bergman@balancemat.com.au
Balance Mat Pty Ltd ABN 91 142 134 012
Canberra Technology Park, Unit D102, 49 Phillip Avenue, Watson ACT 2602, Australia