A letter of intention for cooperation has recently been signed between ESPRM and the Institute of Biomechanics of Valencia in Spain (IBV) whereby both entities are committed to collaborate with each other

IBV is a technological centre focused on scientific research, technical assessment and training in the biomechanical field. The multidisciplinary team of 150 persons is the IBV staff, including engineers, medical doctors (PRM specialists among other), computer specialists, physicists, biologists, physiotherapists, social workers, designers, etc. It belongs to the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

Both entities (ESPRM and IBV) are currently engaged and related through two topics of interest to rehabilitation physicians:

On the one hand, the implementation of on-line courses in biomechanical assessment for rehabilitation doctors (and occasionally for other specialist doctors), through a Leonardo da Vinci European project that was approved years ago, entitled:

Biomechanics4Rehab

And whose first English edition we hope to launch and bid in a few months. In addition, it will be possible to hold a workshop-session or official session on this topic at the next ESPRM Congress in Vilnius (2018). In this project are also partners: The Polytechnic Institute of Milan (POLIMI), the Spanish Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (SERMEF) and Universities: Mustafa Kemal and HITIT of Turkey

In the second hand, both entities have submitted for approval an Erasmus program to also develop online courses in treatments through Virtual Reality (VR), titled:

Brain4Train

If this project is finally approved by the Erasmus Committee, the development phase will be carried out by all the partners for the creation of on-line courses for rehabilitation doctors (and, eventually, other specialists) in this field.

They are also partners in this project: SERMEF (Spain), POLIMI (Italy) and The POLITECHNIKA SLASKA UNIVERSITY of the Silesian University of Technology (Gliwice. Poland)

The set targets of the cooperation between IBV and ESPRM are:

• ΙBV, as an Innovation and Research Centre, has among its main objectives the dissemination of the results of its projects, encouraging the ways professionals could take advantage of them. Therefore, IBV would be pleased to have the chance to take part in the next ESPRM Congress setting up a workshop focused on biomechanics and health technology.
• To promote each partner in the area of influence of the other one. With this purpose both entities will make available their disseminations channels to promote the spread of those innovative activities, which could be relevant for Rehabilitation professionals.
• to call for coordinated and concerted global action towards strengthening rehabilitation in health systems.

Thanks to this cooperation between our European Society of PRM and the IBV, we hope to increase in the future scientific knowledge about biomechanical assessment and treatments using VR among specialist physicians. PRM specialists as well as disabled patients will surely benefit greatly in the long term with this initiative.