For many chronic pain sufferers, treatment options are limited to either polypharmacy or invasive surgeries, each coming with its own unique set of side effects and risks. However, could a virtual reality headset be another option? Wilfred Lax and Dhani Sutanto believe so.  They explain why virtual reality is the future of chronic pain management, and how they envision their innovative technology, the Trancedeucer and CognitiVR, fitting into that future. We also look at the virtual reality pain management method, through the eyes of pain sufferers, Jessica and Samira.

The names behind the innovation

Wilfred Lax - Founder of Neurotechnology,

Dhani Sutanto - Co-founder and CCO of Neurotechnology 

https://neurotechnology.com.au/

Whether it be acute or chronic, almost every single one of us will experience a respiratory illness at some point in our lives, and thanks to smartphone app ResApp, the common cough Is being used to help diagnose and manage that illness. And it’s not just asthma, pneumonia, COPD and COVID the company is tackling with intuitive algorithms analysing cough sounds, with a secondary platform also released that’s able to indicate the presence of sleep apnoea. Meet Dr Rukhsana Rehman, a passionate telehealth practitioner using ResApp to improve the accuracy of respiratory disease diagnosis, and meet medical student Victoria, an asthma sufferer who says apps like ResApp could greatly improve the lives of asthma sufferers everywhere.



The name behind the innovation

Tony Keating – Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director

www.resapphealth.com.au

Decoding sickness with the sound of a cough

When it comes to preventing sexually transmitted infections there are limited options. And the options we do have - condoms - lack desirability, so much so that most of us avoid using them. Revolutionising the condom for the first time in over 100 years is Eudaemon Technologies. Their tech, Gel-dom, is turning a  ‘need to’ into a ‘want to’ which could have a major impact on the rates of STIs and unintended pregnancies. Greg Fisher, CEO of Qtopia, discusses the role of condoms in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and the mental and societal toll of STI stigma. And we meet Professor Deb Barton, a sexual health expert who deep dives into the importance of sexual health literacy and why choice in contraceptives is vital to ensure people stay safe and satisfied.

The technology that has the sex industry covered - safely!

When the nerves are damaged, recovery is slow and painful; and even with nerve transfer surgery, there’s no guarantee that movement and feeling will be restored. Regenerative medicine company, Orthocell, are making the impossible possible, restoring movement and feeling for patients through a resorbable collagen scaffold that encourages the reformation of new nerve tissue. Damien, a downhill skateboard rider, recounts the accident that rendered his arm immobile, and how he rediscovered his purpose following his treatment with the Orthocell product, Remplir. We chat to Paul Anderson, the brain driving the innovation, and Dr Alex O’Bierne, the Orthopaedic Surgeon who pioneered Orthocell’s operative technique.

The name behind the innovation 

Paul Anderson – CEO and Managing Director of Orthocell

orthocell.com

Dr Alex O’Beirne  - Orthopaedic Surgeon Fiona Stanley Hospital and Western Orthopaedic Clinic
www.wocwa.com.au/surgeons/alex-obeirne/

Could collagen be the key to making the impossible possible?

Everyday, thousands of Australians go without basic medical care as a result of where they live or work. Those who live remote, or considered to be ‘medically isolated,’ face daily environmental, financial, and circumstantial barriers to accessing healthcare. Visionflex are closing this gap, with an innovative telehealth solution that promotes widespread medical care for all. Hear from David and Marianne about their work delivering digital health clinics into remote indigenous communities, and Shirley, whose experience across two decades of aged care has made her an advocate for equitable access. We also meet Rod and Carol, who share insights into how they’ve integrated Visionflex in their service to preserve the autonomy of the elderly.  

The name behind the innovation

Mike Harman – CEO and Founder of Visionflex

www.visionflex.com

The doctor will see you now... wherever you are

As the understanding grows that mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety can affect anyone, so does the use of associated medications such as antidepressants. Currently, as many as 1 in 5 Australian adults are now being prescribed antidepressants, however, it is not widely known that not all such medications work the same for all patients. So how do you know you are getting the medication that is best suited to you? Your genetics could be the answer. By taking a simple cheek swab and using CNS Dose technology, Associate Professor Ajeet Singh, believes that a customised approach achieves better results for patients when treating their mental health. 



The name behind the innovation

Associate Professor Ajeet Singh – Psychiatrist & Founder and Director of CNSDose

https://cnsdose.com/

How a simple cheek swab is revolutionising mental health management

Can chronic pain be treated using virtual reality?

Can chronic pain be managed using virtual reality?  Does your DNA dictate if a medication will work for you?  We explore questions like these in Beyond the Medicine Cabinet, the podcast that showcases innovation in medical technology, brought to you by Kooyong Group, and hosted by Zoë Callister-Hakewill .  Not only will you hear stories of game changing technological breakthroughs in health and medicine, but you will also hear from the people who have been helped by these innovations.

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