Part of the fruitful research efforts at the Hashemite university on the local and Arab levels, a joint research team from the Hashemite University, King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia, and the University of Jordan registered a patent in the UK Patent and Intellectual Property Office for "designing a device to assess muscle strength", which is characterized by its accuracy and ability to measure muscle strength independently from other muscles, and contributes to the development of a therapeutic program for muscles controlled with the help of artificial intelligence tools; which facilitates the treatment of Athletes' muscle injuries.

The research team included a group of Arab researchers: from The Hashemite University, Dr. Thamer Al-Tayem, Dr. Muhannad Hawamdeh, and Dr. Saad Al-Na'san from the Department of Physical Therapy at the Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences participated in the team. The research team was headed by Professor Dr. Rizq Allah Qawaqzah from the Department of Physical Therapy at the Faculty of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences at King Abdul-Aziz University, in addition to researchers from King Abdul-Aziz University and a researcher from the University of Jordan.

      Professor Khaled Hyari, the President of Hashemite University, stressed the importance of conducting applied scientific research that finds practical solutions to actual challenges in various fields, especially in the medical field related to human health, which would raise the level of health services provided, leading to facilitating and improving the quality of life. Professor Hyari expressed his deep pride and honor in the research efforts of the university’s faculty members who are making great efforts in scientific production and activating international partnerships, pointing to the importance of forming research teams at the local, Arab and international levels in a way that enhances the exchange of experiences and maximizes research production. In turn, Dr. Thamer Al-Tayem, a member of the research team, confirmed that the project journey began a year ago, through which the team was able to design a modern device to accurately assess and measure muscle strength in the body at the level of the controlled muscles - individually - i.e. measuring the strength and ability of each muscle alone through special sensors and not the sum of the muscles as is followed in the current evaluation method, which gives higher accuracy to the results.

 

    The new device is also distinguished by its unique ability to better identify the muscle targeted by treatment, and to follow up on its condition after treatment sessions, and to know the amount of change in its strength, and the extent of improvement that has occurred, which in turn shortens the time and effort in providing the appropriate treatment. The design, according to Dr. Al-Tayem, also took into account creating interaction between the patient and the new device by providing it with smart sensors capable of providing physical and muscular measurements in real time, and providing it with an interactive screen that provides electronic kinetic games that continuously challenge the patient’s abilities to move his muscles in a fun atmosphere, and take measurements that determine the level or scale that the muscle has reached, and then the decision-making process automatically by using artificial intelligence programs to motivate the person by either increasing or decreasing muscular effort in a manner consistent with the condition of the muscle targeted in the evaluation and treatment, noting that the process of evaluating muscle strength is currently done either manually as in physical therapy clinics, or through a non-interactive electronic device whose use is limited to major research centers, thus this device comes to bring about a qualitative shift in this field.

 

    The research team is working on continuing to develop the design and research to find the possibility of producing the design from sustainable materials, so that it is a device available in clinics and physical therapy sessions, to assess the condition of people suffering from muscle weakness before treatment, and then follow up on their condition and know its development after each session, in addition to the possibility of using it by athletes who aspire to enhance their muscle strength.

 

    The members of the research team from the Hashemite University expressed their thanks and appreciation to the administration of the Hashemite University for its continuous support for scientific research and publishing, and for the great role it plays in motivating distinguished researchers, which enhances their energy of creativity and innovation, stressing the efforts made by the university administration in continuous encouragement to enhance Arab and international research cooperation with national and international scientific and academic institutions in various fields.

    It is worth noting that the Intellectual Property Office in the United Kingdom, The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is a government body responsible for registering patents, designs, trademarks and copyrights.