Cue2Walk: Helping People with Parkinson's to walk

Type: Happening now
Topic: Impact
Topic: Humanity
Publication date: 4 Sep

‘Cueing turns an unconscious action into a conscious task by providing a rhythmic signal’

Cue2Walk International has developed a device for individuals with Parkinson’s disease who experience gait disturbances. It is a device—a sensor worn on the leg—that detects movements and automatically triggers a rhythmic signal. In conjunction with therapy, patients learn to translate this rhythm into conscious movements. 

Floor Waardenburg, managing director of Cue2Walk “Parkinson’s disease affects specific brain regions, leading to a wide variety of physical and mental symptoms. Over 60% of people with Parkinson’s develop freezing of gait, which is the sudden loss of the ability to control muscles. This often results in falls, mental and physical trauma, loss of confidence, increased dependency, and eventually more inactive lifestyle. This is a problem, because staying active is important to slow the disease’s progression.”

 The idea for Cue2Walk originated from conversations between therapists and patients at Basalt Rehabilitation in The Hague. They were using cueing as an intervention to support people with Parkinson’s who suffer from gait disturbances. Freezing of gait primarily occurs during automated movements like walking. Cueing offers a tool to convert an unconscious task into a conscious task through rhythmic signals. 

Floor Waardenburg is one of the three entrepreneurs behind Cue2Walk International. Their work contributes to the municipality’s programme "technology at home."

Floor Waardenburg, Managing Director at Cue2Walk “Cueing is a simple technique to turn an unconscious action, such as walking through a door, into a conscious task by providing a rhythmic signal. Instead of focusing on walking, individuals concentrate on stepping on the rhythm of a beep or vibration. While cueing works well in practice, applying it independently at home can be difficult.”

Practical experience shows that users need to use the device proactively. The automatic recognition feature is impressive and powerful but combining it with therapy is crucial. By teaching people to recognise situations where gait freezing occurs and how to proactively activate the device, they can actually prevent freezing from happening. This approach empowers them maintain control over their movements, which boosts their confidence to stay active, and reduces the risk of falling.

The Hague Healthcare Innovation Hub 

Cue2Walk is currently involved in several accelerator programmes and collaborates with the municipality of The Hague. Since 2016, the municipality has been investing in making healthcare future-proof. Together with residents, care providers, entrepreneurs, and educational institutions, they stimulate the development and implementation of the right care technology that helps residents of The Hague to live independently, longer and more comfortably at home. Part of this is the development of a new Healthcare Innovation Hub, opening in 2025. https://technologievoorthuis.nl/en/zorginnovatiehub/

Charlotte Krom, programme manager of “Technology at Home”, part of the Healthcare Innovation Hub in The Hague “Older adults are at high risk of falls, which can be costly. The national government has set up a programme that municipalities can participate in to reduce the risk of falling. The Hague has a strong vision for integrating technological innovation into this fall prevention programme via different pilots. Working closely with many entrepreneurs, we try to eliminate the risk of falling for people with Parkinson’s.”
Marielle Vavier, Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of The Hague “We are proud of this Healthcare Innovation Hub, which not only improves care locally, but which will also soon develop the care of the future for this region, for the Netherlands, and beyond.”

About Cue2Walk 

Sander Minnoye (Technical Director) and Martijn van der Ent (Medical Director) founded the company in 2017. Floor Waardenburg joined the team in 2020 and the three directors have worked together to advance their mission to optimize the freedom of movement for people with Parkinson’s. 

 

Read more about:

The Healthcare Innovation Hub in The Hague South-West

Is an internationally unique concept where healthcare innovation takes place physically under one roof. This building offers space for innovative primary care and welfare, research, education, a healthcare technology demonstration home and lending service, for those who want to work in healthcare, etc. Read more about it!

ZorgTech program opportunities

Are you a driven entrepreneur with an innovative technological solution for healthcare? We have good news for you! Starting from April 15th, a new subsidy round opens within the ZorgTech program. Kansen voor West is making a total of €1.2 million available for innovation projects.

What is Parkinson's?

What is Parkinson's & what are the symptoms, causes & treatments? We define this neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 10 million people worldwide.