ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Cosmin Mihaiu - Physical therapy entrepreneur
Cosmin Mihaiu is the CEO and co-founder of MIRA Rehab, which develops software that engages patients in interactive and therapeutic games, making physical rehabilitation fun.

Why you should listen

When Cosmin Mihaiu noticed that injured patients hated physical therapy — and often took longer to recover because of it — he dedicated himself to making the dreaded process more engaging, or even fun. In 2011 he and his colleagues founded MIRA Rehab, where they develop software that lets patients play interactive, therapeutic games.

As MIRA’s CEO, Mihaiu now focuses on building relationships with medical institutions around the US and the UK, showing them how video games can make recovery more effective for patients and physical therapists alike.

More profile about the speaker
Cosmin Mihaiu | Speaker | TED.com
TED2015

Cosmin Mihaiu: Physical therapy is boring -- play a game instead

Cosmin Mihaiu: A fisioterapia é aburrida. Mellor xoga a un xogo!

Filmed:
1,507,249 views

Tes unha lesión e vas camiño da casa para facer unha hora de fisioterapia. O que menos che apetece é ter que facer pola túa conta exercicios confusos que tardan tempo de máis en producir resultados. O membro de TED, Cosmin Mihaiu, amósanos unha solución divertida e económica que converte os aburridos exercicios de fisioterapia nun videoxogo cunhas instrucións clarísimas.
- Physical therapy entrepreneur
Cosmin Mihaiu is the CEO and co-founder of MIRA Rehab, which develops software that engages patients in interactive and therapeutic games, making physical rehabilitation fun. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
When I was growing up, I really
liked playing hide-and-seek a lot.
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De cativo encantábame xogar aos agochos.
Moito.
Unha vez subín a unha árbore
para ter un grande escondedoiro,
00:18
One time, though, I thought climbing
a tree would lead to a great hiding spot,
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00:22
but I fell and broke my arm.
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pero caín e rompín un brazo.
E así comecei primaria
cunha grande escaiola no torso.
00:25
I actually started first grade
with a big cast all over my torso.
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Quitáronma seis semanas despois,
pero non podía estirar o cóbado,
00:30
It was taken off six weeks later,
but even then, I couldn't extend my elbow,
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así que tiven que facer fisioterapia
para flexionalo e estiralo,
00:34
and I had to do physical therapy
to flex and extend it,
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00:37
100 times per day, seven days per week.
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cen veces ao día, sete días á semana.
Case non fixen nada. Era aburrido, doía...
00:41
I barely did it, because
I found it boring and painful,
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00:44
and as a result, it took me
another six weeks to get better.
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En consecuencia
botei seis semanas máis para recuperarme.
00:48
Many years later, my mom
developed frozen shoulder,
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Anos despois, miña nai
padeceu de ombro conxelado,
00:51
which leads to pain
and stiffness in the shoulder.
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que produce dor e rixidez nesa zona.
00:56
The person I believed for half of my life
to have superpowers
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A persoa da que, durante media vida,
crin que tiña superpoderes,
00:59
suddenly needed help
to get dressed or to cut food.
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de súpeto precisaba axuda
para se vestir ou cortar a comida.
01:03
She went each week to physical therapy,
but just like me,
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Cada semana ía a sesións de fisioterapia
pero, coma min,
01:06
she barely followed the home treatment,
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apenas seguía o tratamento na casa
01:08
and it took her
over five months to feel better.
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tardou máis de cinco meses
en comezar a mellorar.
01:11
Both my mom and I
required physical therapy,
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Tanto miña nai coma min
precisabamos fisioterapia,
01:14
a process of doing a suite
of repetitive exercises
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un proceso no que realizas
exercicios repetitivos
01:17
in order to regain the range of movement
lost due to an accident or injury.
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para recuperar o movemento
perdido tras un accidente ou lesión.
01:21
At first, a physical therapist
works with patients,
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Ao comezo, o fisioterapeuta
traballa co paciente
pero despois é cousa do paciente
facer os exercicios na casa.
01:24
but then it's up to the patients
to do their exercises at home.
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01:27
But patients find physical therapy
boring, frustrating, confusing
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Pero aos pacientes resúltanlles
aburridos, frustrantes, confusos
01:30
and lengthy before seeing results.
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e longos ata obteren resultados.
01:33
Sadly, patient noncompliance
can be as high as 70 percent.
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É unha mágoa ver que o abandono
pode chegar ao 70%.
01:38
This means the majority of patients
don't do their exercises
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Isto indica que a maioría
non fai os exercicios
01:42
and therefore take
a lot longer to get better.
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e, polo tanto, tarda moito máis
en recuperarse.
01:46
All physical therapists agree
that special exercises
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Os fisioterapeutas coinciden
en que determinados exercicios
01:48
reduce the time needed for recovery,
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reducen o tempo de recuperación,
01:50
but patients lack
the motivation to do them.
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pero os pacientes non están motivados
para facelos.
01:54
So together with three friends,
all of us software geeks,
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Así que tres amigos e mais eu,
todos nós frikis informáticos,
01:58
we asked ourselves,
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preguntámonos
se non sería interesante que os pacientes
puidesen recuperarse xogando.
02:00
wouldn't it be interesting if patients
could play their way to recovery?
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02:05
We started building MIRA,
A P.C. software platform
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Comezamos a crear MIRA,
unha plataforma de software para PC
que usa Kinect,
unha cámara que capta o movemento,
02:08
that uses this Kinect device,
a motion capture camera,
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02:11
to transform traditional exercises
into video games.
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para mudar os exercicios tradicionais
en videoxogos.
02:15
My physical therapist has already set up
a schedule for my particular therapy.
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A fisioterapeuta xa marcou
o horario para a miña terapia.
Vexamos como é.
02:20
Let's see how this looks.
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No primeiro xogo
voas cunha abella de arriba a abaixo
02:25
The first game asks me
to fly a bee up and down
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02:28
to gather pollen to deposit in beehives,
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para recoller o pole
e pousalo na colmea
mentres esquivas outros bechos.
02:31
all while avoiding the other bugs.
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Controlo a abella
ao estirar e dobrar o cóbado,
02:33
I control the bee by doing
elbow extension and flexion,
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02:36
just like when I was seven years old
after the cast was taken off.
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igual que cando tiña sete anos
e me quitaron a escaiola.
02:41
When designing a game,
we speak to physical therapists at first
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Antes de deseñar o xogo
falamos coa comunidade de fisioterapeutas
02:44
to understand what movement
patients need to do.
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para entender qué movementos
precisan facer os pacientes.
02:47
We then make that a video game
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Logo deseñamos un videoxogo
02:49
to give patients simple,
motivating objectives to follow.
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para ofrecerlles aos pacientes
metas motivadoras e sinxelas que seguir.
02:53
But the software is very customizable,
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O software pode personalizarse
02:55
and physical therapists can also
create their own exercises.
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e os fisioterapeutas tamén poden crear
os seus propios exercicios.
02:59
Using the software, my physical therapist
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Con este software, a miña fisioterapeuta
03:01
recorded herself performing
a shoulder abduction,
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gravouse facendo
unha abdución do ombro,
un dos movementos
que miña nai tiña que facer
03:03
which is one of the movements
my mom had to do
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cando padecía de ombro conxelado.
03:05
when she had frozen shoulder.
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03:07
I can follow my therapist's example
on the left side of the screen,
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Podo seguir o exemplo da fisioterapeuta
no lado esquerdo da pantalla,
03:10
while on the right, I see myself
doing the recommended movement.
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mentres que no dereito
véxome facendo o movemento recomendado.
Estou máis involucrado
e síntome máis seguro
03:14
I feel more engaged and confident,
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03:16
as I'm exercising alongside my therapist
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porque fago os exercicios
coa miña terapeuta
03:19
with the exercises my therapist
thinks are best for me.
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e fago o que ela considera
mellor para min.
Basicamente, a aplicación
ofrécelles aos fisioterapeutas
03:22
This basically extends the application
for physical therapists
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03:25
to create whatever exercises
they think are best.
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a posibilidade de crearen
o exercicio que crean máis axeitado.
Este é un xogo de poxas para previr caídas
03:30
This is an auction house game
for preventing falls,
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deseñado para fortalecer os músculos
e mellorar o equilibrio.
03:33
designed to strengthen muscles
and improve balance.
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03:36
As a patient, I need to do
sit and stand movements,
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Aquí, teño que facer movementos
de sentarse e erguerse
e, cando me ergo,
03:39
and when I stand up,
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03:41
I bid for the items I want to buy.
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poxo polos artigos que quero mercar.
03:43
(Laughter)
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(Risas)
03:45
In two days, my grandmother
will be 82 years old,
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De aquí a dous días,
miña avoa fará 82 anos
e hai un 50% de posibilidades
de que os maiores de 80 anos
03:48
and there's a 50 percent chance
for people over 80
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03:51
to fall at least once per year,
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caian polo menos unha vez ao ano,
o que pode provocar rotura de cadeira
ou algo aínda peor.
03:53
which could lead to a broken hip
or even worse.
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03:56
Poor muscle tone and impaired balance
are the number one cause of falls,
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O baixo ton muscular e os problemas
de equilibrio son as causas principais
04:00
so reversing these problems
through targeted exercise
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polo que frear estes problemas
con exercicios específicos
04:03
will help keep older people
like my grandmother
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axudará a que xente maior como miña avoa
04:06
safer and independent for longer.
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estea protexida e
sexa independente por máis tempo.
04:09
When my schedule ends,
MIRA briefly shows me
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Cando o meu horario remata,
MIRA amosa un resumo
04:11
how I progressed throughout my session.
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do meu progreso durante a sesión.
04:15
I have just shown you
three different games
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Acabo de mostrarvos tres xogos diferentes
04:17
for kids, adults and seniors.
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para nenos, adultos e anciáns.
Poden empregarse con pacientes
ortopédicos ou neurolóxicos,
04:20
These can be used with orthopedic
or neurologic patients,
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e axiña teremos opcións
para nenos con autismo,
04:22
but we'll soon have options
for children with autism,
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doenzas mentais ou patoloxías da fala.
04:25
mental health or speech therapy.
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04:28
My physical therapist
can go back to my profile
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A miña fisioterapeuta
pode volver ao meu perfil
04:30
and see the data gathered
during my sessions.
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e ver os datos recollidos
nas miñas sesións.
04:33
She can see how much I moved,
how many points I scored,
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Pode ver canto me movín,
cantos puntos conseguín,
04:36
with what speed I moved my joints,
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a velocidade das miñas articulacións
04:38
and so on.
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e moitas cousas máis.
04:39
My physical therapist can use all of this
to adapt my treatment.
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Pode empregar todo isto
para adaptar o meu tratamento.
04:43
I'm so pleased this version is now in use
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Alégrame dicir que esta versión se emprega
04:45
in over 10 clinics
across Europe and the U.S.,
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en máis de dez clínicas
de Europa e dos EE. UU.
e que traballamos na versión doméstica.
04:49
and we're working on the home version.
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04:51
We want to enable physical therapists
to prescribe this digital treatment
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Queremos que os fisioterapeutas
poidan prescribir este tratamento dixital
04:55
and help patients play their way
to recovery at home.
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e axudarlles aos pacientes
a recuperarse nas súas casas.
05:00
If my mom or I had a tool like this
when we needed physical therapy,
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Se miña nai ou eu tivésemos algo así
cando precisamos fisioterapia,
05:03
then we would have been more successful
following the treatment,
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seguiriamos o tratamento
05:06
and perhaps gotten better a lot sooner.
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e se cadra, recuperabámonos antes.
(Risas)
05:10
Thank you.
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Grazas.
05:11
(Applause)
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(Aplausos)
05:14
Tom Rielly: So Cosmin, tell me
what hardware is this
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Tom Rielly: Cosmin, que hardware é este
05:17
that they're rapidly putting away?
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que están retirando?
05:19
What is that made of,
and how much does it cost?
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De que está feito e canto custa?
05:21
Cosmin Milhau: So it's
a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 for the demo,
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Cosmin Mihaiu: Microsoft Surface Pro 3
para a demo
05:24
but you just need a computer
and a Kinect, which is 120 dollars.
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pero só precisas un ordenador e un Kinect,
que custa 120 dólares.
05:28
TR: Right, and the Kinect is the thing
that people use for their Xboxes
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TR: Ben, e o Kinect é o que se emprega
para xogar coa Xbox
cos xogos en 3D, non si?
05:31
to do 3D games, right?
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05:33
CM: Exactly, but you don't need the Xbox,
you only need a camera.
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CM: Exacto, pero non precisas a Xbox,
só unha cámara.
TR: Entón custa menos de 1000 dólares?
05:36
TR: Right, so this is less
than a $1,000 solution.
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CM: Así é, podes telo por 400.
05:38
CM: Definitely, 400 dollars,
you can definitely use it.
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TR: E agora, estás cos ensaios clínicos.
CM: Si.
05:41
TR: So right now, you're doing
clinical trials in clinics.
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05:44
CM: Yes.
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TR: E despois esperas deseñar
a versión doméstica
05:44
TR: And then the hope is to get it
so it's a home version
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para practicar a distancia
e que na clínica
05:47
and I can do my exercise remotely,
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vexan o progreso e outras cousas.
05:49
and the therapist at the clinic
can see how I'm doing and stuff like that.
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CM: Xusto.
TR: Xenial. Moitas grazas.
CM: Grazas.
05:52
CM: Exactly.
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05:53
TR: Cool. Thanks so much.
CM: Thank you.
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(Aplausos)
05:55
(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Cosmin Mihaiu - Physical therapy entrepreneur
Cosmin Mihaiu is the CEO and co-founder of MIRA Rehab, which develops software that engages patients in interactive and therapeutic games, making physical rehabilitation fun.

Why you should listen

When Cosmin Mihaiu noticed that injured patients hated physical therapy — and often took longer to recover because of it — he dedicated himself to making the dreaded process more engaging, or even fun. In 2011 he and his colleagues founded MIRA Rehab, where they develop software that lets patients play interactive, therapeutic games.

As MIRA’s CEO, Mihaiu now focuses on building relationships with medical institutions around the US and the UK, showing them how video games can make recovery more effective for patients and physical therapists alike.

More profile about the speaker
Cosmin Mihaiu | Speaker | TED.com