A passion for science and sports that began in childhood has evolved into a goal to "democratize" technology by developing creativ...
A passion for science and sports that began in childhood has evolved into a goal to "democratize" technology by developing creative, inexpensive rehabilitation tools for those with limited means. Spotlight speaks with the associate professor—who once led a volleyball team and now heads a leading research center—and who is demonstrating that affordable solutions can be effective.
Within her office at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, Associate Professor Yumna Albertus is full of excitement as she talks about her upcoming patent: "It amazes me, I'm so thrilled. This will revolutionize everything," she states.
Albertus is an exercise physiologist focusing on rehabilitation and biomechanics, with a special emphasis on affordable solutions. She leads Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport (HPALS), a research center at the University of Cape Town (UCT). While studying there, she served as captain of the women's volleyball team, gaining valuable soft skills that she attributes to her current achievements.
The patent Albertus is referring to involves a millimetre-wave radar system designed to detect subtle muscle movements through high-frequency radio waves. She is working on this contactless sensing technology alongside Associate Professor Amir Patel, who is recognized for applying the movement patterns of cheetahs to robotic engineering.
For instance, she states: "It will analyze vibrations on the skin and use that to determine the heart rate. Similarly, it will assess the respiratory rate by observing the movement of the diaphragm in the chest."
A 2024 study published in the IEEE Sensors Journal states: "This system will allow for the measurement of muscle activation in a more flexible and less restrictive way for both the tester and the person being tested."
Albertus and Patel have already developed two patents. One relates to specialized force plates (metal plates equipped with sensors to measure impact), and the other concerns inertial motion sensors (small electronic devices that monitor movement). These innovations are expected to be produced at a low cost by Acino Tech, a biomechanics startup co-founded by Albertus, Patel, and senior engineer Devin Stickells, with assistance from UCT's Research Contracts and Innovation office, in 2021.
High-tech and high prices
During the time of our conversation, Albertus had recently come back from Mumbai, India, where she gave a keynote speech at the Mahatma Gandhi Mission Hospital's rehabilitation center. "They were interested in the work I am involved in concerning the use of technology and collaborating with mechanical engineers, as well as making that kind of technology more accessible," she mentions.
Albertus states that advanced rehabilitation technologies are usually created in wealthy environments through substantial funding and business collaborations.
What we are discovering is that the industry functions as a form of monopoly, with prices being set," she states. "And these prices are extremely high, so high that economically developing countries find it very difficult to obtain access.
For Albertus, developing cost-effective options is a primary concern.
Making technology and innovation accessible for use in resource-limited environments is essential," she states. "At HPALS, our research is focused on people, not merely for academic publications. We truly excel at extending research past the publication stage. What's the purpose of advanced technology remaining in laboratories? And only in those with financial support?
"Surfing treatment" and 3D printed prosthetics for kids
One of Albertus' initiatives involves creating affordable 3D-printed prosthetics for children with disabilities. A paper outlining the research is being written for publication and peer review while they strive to secure additional funding to expand the study.
South African surfing champion Roxy Davis came up with the concept for the prosthesis through her PhD thesis, which Albertus co-supervised, focusing on ocean restoration for "disabled surfers." Davis, together with volunteers, provides free "surf therapy" at Muizenberg beach via the Roxy Davis Foundation. They have helped train numerous South African para surfers who have participated in the World Para Surf Championships.
It began with our PhD student Roxy Davis, who assists children with disabilities, including amputations, in getting into the water for rehabilitation," explains Albertus. "They had one session per week for six weeks, as part of a six-week program, using surfboards that were modified to suit their specific needs. Over the course of three years, we tracked the children, and the results were remarkable: it transformed how they viewed themselves in the world. They became happier and more confident. And simply the sense of freedom that came with it.
One day at Muizenberg beach, Albertus was next to Michael Awood, a biomedical engineer from UCT who focuses on assistive technologies. The two scholars were observing the young paraplegic surfers, thinking: "What can we create to support them in the water?"
Albertus remembers: "There was a person who had lost both arms and both legs. We thought, certainly, we could create a prosthetic using 3D printing to assist him, as biomedical engineering has several 3D printers..."
The scientists spoke with young paralympic surfers, documenting their requirements and concerns, and then began developing a model.
For instance," states Albertus, "if it was an arm amputation, the prosthesis resembled a flipper, enabling them to swim in the water. However, once the para surfer climbed onto the surfboard, it would secure firmly and provide support, unlike the simple stump they had previously used.
The initiative grew further, as the researchers chose that the same technology should be accessible to any child who has lost a limb.
More intriguing initiatives underway
Other active initiatives at HPALS involve implementing telemedicine in spinal cord injury recovery – basically utilizing smartphones to communicate with patients, allowing them to perform rehabilitation exercises from home. "Once again, our focus is on research that benefits people," says Albertus. "We aim to enable individuals to carry out their rehabilitation at home. I mean, traveling to a rehabilitation center can be costly and logistically challenging, particularly for those who use a wheelchair."
Another one is a research project focusing on biomechanics in cricket. "That's a huge study by itself," says Albertus. "It originated from orthopedic surgeons wanting to figure out why they are seeing so many shoulder injuries among cricket players."
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From a clinical perspective, Albertus is heading a team studying neuromuscular changes in children with cerebral palsy, in collaboration with Associate Professor and neurosurgeon Nico Enslin at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital. Once more, her enthusiasm is clear: "We are the first to do this, it's truly a groundbreaking study, it's both challenging and thrilling!"
R3.5 million robotic exosuit
Albertus gained recognition in 2018 for heading a randomized controlled trial involving robotic exoskeletons — the first of its kind on the African continent, according to her. The robotic suit had a price tag of R3.5 million and was obtained via The Walking with Brandon Foundation, established in 2015 by the Beack family in Cape Town following an incident that left 16-year-old gymnast Brandon Beack paralyzed.
"I have consistently performed neuromuscular assessments on Paralympic athletes and patients, and in 2015, I was asked to carry out these tests on Brandon Beack, who suffered a spinal cord injury while training in gymnastics," explains Albertus.
The suit enables an individual with a spinal cord injury to walk while wearing it. "So, I took the chance to explore the effect this costly advanced technology had on neuromuscular physiology, functional ability, and psychological health in patients," she explains.
The research involved 16 individuals — eight underwent exercise-based rehabilitation, while the other eight used the suit three times weekly for an hour. The organization was very complex. "We spent R400 000 on transportation for our participants, and that was at a discounted rate. I mean, all our participants were in wheelchairs, and we had to make sure there was no danger. The ethical considerations alone took about a year to address," she explains.
The results indicated better heart function, stronger bones, and enhanced mental health in those who wore the suit. Nevertheless, the research was paused because of the difficulty in expanding this costly technology across South Africa.
Albertus says the study made him realize that expensive rehabilitation equipment is not practical in his country and cannot be easily accessed by everyone who needs it.
Furthermore, she mentions that the primary needs expressed by patients—enhanced autonomy at home and assistance in preventing secondary complications—shifted the focus away from the robotic suit. "For instance, a problem patients highlighted was pressure ulcers. In less affluent countries, patients may not have caregivers, so they require support in repositioning their bodies," Albertus explains.
A passion for science and athletics
Her office window offers a view of the treetops with Table Mountain visible in the distance. As one of four daughters of Faiq and Bashira, Albertus attended Livingston High School in Claremont, where she developed a passion for biology and sports from an early age. During her time at UCT, Albertus remained involved in volleyball for three years, eventually leading the university's team.
I participated in volleyball during my high school and university years," she mentions. "Team sports like this help you learn how to collaborate and share a shared objective, providing numerous soft skills that I still apply nowadays.
In 2015, she joined HPALS as a senior lecturer and by 2023, she was appointed as its director. Currently, the center includes 14 principal investigators based in the Sports Science building, with additional ones spread across different areas of the campus, totaling approximately 20 staff members.
Currently, Albertus mentions that she likes playing padel with her two teenage kids and walking up Table Mountain as well as along the Sea Point promenade.
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