Honours student Sahan Muthuhetti shone in 2020 on Reviver project

Dr Ben Sinclair with a Reviver participant

The Reviver is an innovative exercise assistance device which allows mobility-impaired individuals to exercise far beyond their unassisted capacity. Monash University Central Clinical School researchers are performing the world's first clinical trial of the device to assess its impact on symptoms of Parkinson's Disease, such as impaired balance and mobility.

During 2020 Dr Ben Sinclair, who runs the Reviver trial, together with Professor Meng Law, Director of the iBRAIN group, co-supervised a very talented Honours student, Mr Sahan Muthuhetti. Sahan got a high distinction for his Honours project, "Treatment of balance associated symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease using a novel rehabilitation strategy". 

ECR Showcase 3 pm 24 June: See Ben Sinclair & Gemma Sharp in action!

2020 ECR Showcase finalists include CCS's
Drs Gemma Sharp (MAPrc) & Ben Sinclair (Neuroscience)

The Cooperative Research Centres Association holds an annual Early Career Researcher Showcase. The five finalists, who have already won $1000 for making for the 2020 final, include two from Central Clinical School, Dr Ben Sinclair and Dr Gemma Sharp. They will be publicly competing at 3.00 pm with five minute presentations on Wednesday 24 June for the chance to win $5000. We want you to watch them, as your vote counts! Audience voting will be open at approximately 3.30pm for 15 minutes.

You can see more about our CCS entrants and watch their 30 second entry video clips in advance,  below. Register now for Zoom webinar.

Ben Sinclair wins Public Vote in Victoria for global science competition FameLab video!

See Dr Ben Sinclair's Famelab video

Monash University neuroscientist, Dr Ben Sinclair, has been awarded first place in the public vote segment of Victorian applicants by the global science competition FameLab for his engaging video presentation on using exercise as a treatment for brain disease.

Thanks to everyone who voted for Ben!

Vote for Ben Sinclair in the Famelab competition, by Sat 25 Apr 4 pm!

Dr Ben Sinclair explains in his Famelab entry video how the Reviver 
challenges people's balance and works their brains in the process.
Vote for your favourite here:  www.fwam.com.au/victoria-semi-final/

Dr Ben Sinclair (Early Career Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Neuroscience iBRAIN unit) has been successful in reaching the FameLab* Victorian semi-finals - well done and congratulations Ben!

Ben is one of 13 semi-finalists together with two other researchers from Monash University. He is using a rehabilitation machine, called a Reviver, for people with impairments in their balance and mobility. The Reviver uses gravity and reflex muscle contractions to give people a strong workout, even those who can’t walk or move.

Voting is open for the public now. If you like Ben's the best, please vote and help him get to the National Finals. Share presentations on Twitter with hashtag #FameLabAus.

Motion machine could improve Parkinson’s symptoms

Progressive supranuclear palsy sufferer, Leanore Aro, working her

balance in the Reviver machine with Dr Ben Sinclair supervising. 

Photo: Kate McPherson

• Clinical trial assesses Parkinson’s benefits from motion machine
• Australian invention tilts users off-balance to activate muscle groups 

Monash University and The Alfred are testing an innovative new machine that could improve the symptoms of people with Parkinson’s Disease using gravity and movement.

The Reviver machine intentionally challenges participants’ sense of balance in a safe and controlled environment. The reaction to being tilted off balance creates a powerful and innate response that can activate muscle groups that have become disengaged.

Participants sought: Balance development for Parkinson's patients using a Reviver

Dr Ben Sinclair supervising a participant

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) involves a range of motor deficits which can be treated with physical activity. The Reviver is an Australian-developed vestibular-stimulation, isometric-exercise machine which allows impaired individuals to perform isometric exercise far beyond their unassisted capacity.

We aim to test whether an intervention using the Reviver can improve the symptoms of PD, and to discern the physiological and neural underpinnings of any such improvement.

Contact Dr Ben Sinclair:
Email ben.sinclair@monash.edu, ph 02 95242188, Web www.monash.edu/medicine/ccs/neuroscience/research/law-group/ben-sinclair

Promising technology heads to Melbourne for Parkinson's Disease trial

The Reviver in action

Technology being brought to Melbourne as part of a trial by Neuroscience researcher Dr Ben Sinclair made the Sydney news recently. The Reviver is a device that tilts people and rotates them through the gravitational field, strengthening muscles with minimal conscious effort. In people with neuromuscular degenerative conditions like Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's Disease, it stimulates remaining reflex pathways, providing better muscle tone and balance.

Congratulations to Ben Sinclair on CSIRO grant!

The 'Reviver'  isodynamics exerciser

Congratulations to Dr Ben Sinclair, one of Professor Terry O'Brien's post-doctoral fellows, who has received a CSIRO Innovations Connections grant. The $100,000 award is jointly funded by government and industry. Ben's project is 'The Assessment of a Novel Form of Exercise on Atypical Parkinson’s', to test the exercise apparatus, The Reviver.

See more about the scientific basis of the research.