The stories patients and caregivers tell of the difficulties managing day-to-day tasks stay top of mind for Dr. Alex Mihailidis, an award-winning scientist developing smart home systems to care for and promote the wellbeing of older adults. From robots who support common household activities, floor tiles that monitor blood pressure and sensors that can send a reminder to turn off the stove, Dr. Mihailidis is alleviating the responsibility of care from the patient and caregiver and putting it into the home.
On this episode of Behind the Breakthrough, Dr. Mihailidis journeys through his years of research into smart home technology, with early innovations such as ‘Ed the Robot’ and his current role as Scientific Director of the AGE-WELL Network of Centres of Excellence. Dr. Mihailidis also tells the story of how he became a patient at the Toronto Rehab Institute, the hospital where he works, after surviving a 30 foot fall down a cliff. Having to regain his ability to walk and perform daily functions, the tragic event taught him the importance of integrating his research with clinical practice.
“If we can come up with a solution through technology that can help ease the issues older people face, even just a little bit, and make it better not just for the person but the family that supports them...then that’s why I continue to do this.”
Check out season 3 of Your Complex Brain
Dr. Gelareh Zadeh’s pioneering research in brain tumours
Dr. Howard Abrams champions innovative housing solution to help seniors age at home
Sleep disruption research by UHN’s Dr. Tatyana Mollayeva shows the impact on recovery from brain injury, cognitive reaction
Hunting the origin cell of Head and Neck Squamous Carcinoma
Leveraging the human microbiome to be a therapeutic agent
UHN’s Dr. Cristina Nostro pioneers stem cell research to cure Diabetes
Identifying novel acute pain treatments following major surgery
Pioneering UHN research targets long-term complications of liver transplantation
Dr. Andrew Boozary prescribes housing to curb homelessness
Checkout Season 2 of Your Complex Brain
Dr. Shaf Keshavjee has transformed lung transplant worldwide with his medical discoveries
Pioneering the use of virtual reality devices to restore vision
Dr. Rama Khokha on her breakthrough to map the biology of pancreatic cancer
Promising new treatment for Parkinson’s Disease
Dr. Eleanor Fish pioneers research using Interferons to treat virus outbreaks
Dr. Jonathan Irish pioneers Augmented Reality in Cancer Surgery
Pioneering a Diagnosis for CTE
A new toolkit for LTC to help care of residents during an outbreak
Dr.Gordon Keller on his ground breaking research to advance stem cell based therapies
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
DNA Today: A Genetics Podcast
Museum of the Missing
Strange by Nature Podcast
Sasquatch Chronicles
Hidden Brain