Speaker

Name: Games for Health Europe Conference
Start: 2025-03-31T09:00
End: 2025-04-01T18:00

Speaker Info

Biography: Ruud van der Wel is a respiratory therapist. He works with severely disabled children, most of whom suffer from a progressive muscular disease. In the year 2000 he started to use electronic wind instruments in his therapy sessions and in 2005 he launched the website www.mybreathmymusic.com. Not long after that he co-developed a new musical instrument: the Magic Flute. In November 2008 he founded the 'My Breath My Music' foundation. This foundation aims to give people with severe physical disabilities the opportunity to play music, using either adapted electronic instruments or electronic instruments we have developed ourselves. Child support is an important element of this now well-known organisation. Through the years Ruud kept on developing new technology for children. In 2012 he started to think about developing breathing exercise hardware in conjunction with breath-controlled apps. In 2015 the first GroovTubes found their way to its users. In 2020 he started the website www.nmagaming.nl Here you can get information and help about how to play video games with a serious disability. In the Netherlands, children and adults can borrow adapted musical instruments and gaming equipment from the foundation.

Title: Respiratory Training Using Technological (Gaming) Solutions for Patients With Severe (Multiple) Disabilities

Summary: I developed the Groovtube years ago. With this breathing exercise device you can train your breathing muscles on the Ipad, PC and Mac by means of gaming. We have developed many new applications over the years. You can now even operate a model vehicle with your breath. The children I treat really enjoy this and it makes respiratory therapy possible for children aged 2 years and older. Gaming makes respiratory therapy more accessible and, above all, it's fun! This helps children keep practicing their lungs!