iDRhA

iDRhA (Innovative Development for Rehabilitation and Assistance) is a technology firm that emerged as a spin-off from the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) in Elche, Spain. The company was established by a team of academics and researchers: Nicolás García-Aracil, a professor in the Department of Systems Engineering and Automation; Eduardo Fernández, a professor in the Area of Cell Biology and director of another UMH spin-off; and Javier Badesa, who holds a doctorate in Telecommunication Technologies Engineering from UMH. Their collective expertise in engineering, bioengineering, and robotics underpins the company's mission to develop assistive and rehabilitation technologies.

The company operates within the UMH Science Park ecosystem, concentrating on creating robotic devices for individuals with acquired brain injury. The business serves the healthcare and med-tech markets, targeting clients such as hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, and, ultimately, patients in their homes. Its business model centers on the design and production of this specialized hardware and accompanying software, aiming to enhance the quality and accessibility of physical therapy. In July 2020, the company received a grant of nearly €55,000 from the Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE) to advance its key project. This funding was a significant milestone, enabling further development of its telerehabilitation technology.

iDRhA's primary product is a telerehabilitation system named Rubidium, a portable and low-cost robotic device intended for home use. This system allows patients to perform therapeutic exercises remotely, which are monitored and adapted in real-time by artificial intelligence algorithms to suit individual needs. The platform includes a software suite with predetermined rehabilitation games and allows users to integrate their own activities. Additionally, the company develops modular upper-limb robotic exoskeletons and miniaturized optical force sensors for prototyping and cost-effective applications. The technology has undergone usability studies in Spanish public hospitals and has been tested with patients in international healthcare settings, including in the UK and Italy.

Keywords: telerehabilitation, medical robotics, neurorehabilitation, assistive technology, physical therapy equipment, robotic exoskeleton, UMH spin-off, patient monitoring, home rehabilitation, acquired brain injury, rehabilitation robotics, medical devices, healthcare technology, artificial intelligence in healthcare, remote therapy, motor recovery, upper-limb rehabilitation, bioengineering, systems engineering, sensor technology