(Wired) – Simple external cues, such as lines on the floor, can help Parkinson’s patients focus their efforts and overcome the difficulty of the symptoms. With augmented reality, those cues can be anywhere.

The technique, called external cueing, works by using visual, auditory, or tactile prompts—colored tape on the ground, playing a metronome, or physical vibrations—to engage neural pathways not affected by the disease. “It can help people focus their attention and help them take that first step and overcome the freeze,” says Claire Bale, associate director of research at Parkinson’s UK, a research and support charity in the UK.

While Finn—who worked in marketing and video production in London—was struck by the effectiveness of this simple intervention, he thought it too basic to actually be helpful. But augmented reality glasses from the likes of Magic Leap had just started coming to market, and he wondered whether they might be able to project virtual lines onto the ground to act as cues. He founded a startup, Strolll, to try to make that vision a reality. (Read More)