The risk of car crashes caused by distracted driving in older adults is constantly increasing, with the aging of Italian population. Due to this consideration, a recent study by previous studies demonstrated improved speed and accuracy in attentional tasks with a single session of tDCS applied to a specific brain area (right Frontal Eye Fields) in older, as much as in younger participants while performing a driving task in virtual reality (VR). Based on these results, this study aimed to verify the efficacy of a full cognitive training that combines VR (DRIVEWIN software) and neurostimulation (tDCS) in improving driving skills in healthy older adults.

Older adults participants were divided into two groups : an experimental group (real tDCS) and a placebo group (sham tDCS). The single-blind study included four phases: a baseline assessment (cognitive and driving tests), a second baseline assessment after one month, six weeks of cognitive training using a driving simulator with increasing difficulty at each session (12 sessions), and a post-training assessment. The experimental group received tDCS on the right Frontal Eye Fields during the training. Preliminary analyses showed that the experimental group improved in terms of both accuracy and speed on the attentional tests and the driving task. These results seem to confirm the implication of right FEF in predicting safe driving behaviour and the effectiveness of tDCS stimulation combined with VR cognitive training in improving performance in neurologically healthy elderly people.

Background:
OPTIMAge-IT (NCT06611228) is an ongoing cluster-randomized trial across eight Italian acute geriatric units, evaluating a multidomain intervention (MDI) to prevent hospital-associated disability (HAD) in frail inpatients aged ≥75 years. The intervention includes physical, nutritional, and cognitive components, the latter consisting of tablet-based stimulation exercises during hospitalization. This interim analysis explores the feasibility, adherence, and user experience of the cognitive module.

Methods:
Participants in the intervention group are invited to perform daily cognitive exercises via a tablet application, guided by a digital coach. Adherence is defined as satisfactory if the tool was used on ≥50% of hospital days. Patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) assess clarity, usefulness, and ease of use. Usability is evaluated with the 10-item System Usability Scale (SUS). Staff records reasons for non-adherence when applicable.

Results:
As of this interim analysis, 88 patients were enrolled; 24 had complete and analyzable data (9 MDI, 15 usual care). The median age is 82.2 (SD 5.2) years . Among those receiving the MDI, only 29% met the adherence threshold for the cognitive intervention. The primary reasons for non-adherence were patient refusal (37.5%) and logistical constraints (25%). All respondents rated the instructions as clear. However, perceived usefulness and ease of use varied. The mean SUS score was 24.7 (SD 16.2), well below the accepted threshold, indicating low confidence and navigational difficulty.

Conclusions:
Tablet-based cognitive stimulation is feasible and clearly understood, but usability and adherence remain suboptimal. Design and delivery refinements are needed. Updated results will be presented at the conference.

The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and the growing demand for accessible healthcare highlight the importance of health promotion and disease prevention through user-friendly diagnostic tools. Handheld ultrasound systems offer a promising solution, yet current devices still require trained operators, limiting their potential for self-monitoring applications. To address this, we present an open-platform, ultra-portable ultrasound system prototype optimized for imaging quality, processing power, and energy efficiency. Designed with a modular architecture, including a motherboard, transmission and reception daughterboards, and a probe adapter, the system supports 64 transmit/receive channels and allows flexible customization for hardware, firmware, and software development. An FPGA controls transmission and reception at each pulse repetition interval, transferring data via USB 3.0 to a host PC for processing and display. A user-friendly control interface enables real-time configuration, data visualization, and seamless acquisition or streaming of raw and processed data. In a proof-of-concept demonstration, the system acquired in-vivo B-mode images of the carotid artery using an 8-MHz linear array. Raw data streamed at 3 Gb/s was processed by a CPU and reconstructed in real-time on an Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, achieving frame rates up to 350 fps (64×512 pixels). These results confirm the platform’s capability for high-speed, high-quality imaging and its suitability for developing innovative methods in self-monitoring ultrasound diagnostics and research.

This study presents a modified EduExo upper-limb exoskeleton designed for ALS rehabilitation and evaluates its performance under fixed-parameter impedance control. The exoskeleton, modeled as a two-DOF planar arm, was simulated in Simscape Multibody with a mechanically coupled human model. A constant-gain impedance controller was compared against a traditional PID controller using a trajectory task. Results show that the impedance controller achieved smoother transitions, better tracking accuracy, and reduced high-frequency oscillations. These findings support the effectiveness of simple impedance control for safe and compliant human-exoskeleton interaction in rehabilitation, without the complexity of adaptive or learning-based methods.