SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. /Publishers Newswire/ — LifeModeler, Inc., the leading global provider of biomechanical human body simulation tools and services, has released LumbarSIM(TM), a new product that adds to its family of unique “virtual prototyping” software. This latest innovation directly addresses the needs of orthopedic device manufacturers and surgeons seeking ways to respond to the growing numbers of patients experiencing lower back pain. Shawn McGuan, CEO of LifeModeler, Inc., said the new software entry will “greatly shorten the time it takes to get helpful devices into the hands of surgeons who can radically alter the lifestyles of an aging population.”
The company, which has consistently supported the orthopedic community with virtual modeling products such as LifeMOD(TM) and KneeSIM(TM), sees this new software as having an overall influence similar to that of its popular knee product.
“It will provide completely new insight for surgeons and researchers who are involved in spinal surgery, spinal cord stimulation implants, and artificial disc replacement,” said McGuan. “That potential for affecting the lives of so many will see LumbarSIM’s use grow very quickly,” he predicted.
The new product, which automatically creates a detailed lumbar spine model and separates it into individual vertebral segments and disc forces, integrates easily into the company’s well-respected LifeMOD software. Its eventual applications in the orthopedic arena are numerous, especially when attempting to pre-evaluate surgical options such as spinal fusion, discectomy, and laminectomy.
The simplicity of adapting to LumbarSIM’s architecture is a feature that LifeModeler’s engineers focused on so that it could easily serve as a design tool for orthopedic device developers. Much of the software’s operational characteristics mirror the workflow that is commonly found on a personal computer.
“It’s somewhat like using ‘favorites’ on your desktop,” said McGuan.
Many of the common tasks have been streamlined and the modeling language is more user-centric, making all of the workflow customizable to fit specific needs. This makes LumbarSIM easily learned, and easily applied.
Reports generated by the software offer increased sophistication, including the incorporation of hypertext, plots, live video, and model animation.
According to McGuan, the software has built-in orthopedic-specific plots based on published spinal data, saving valuable research and development time by automating plot development.
The company’s LifeMOD product is used by more than 600 corporate clients and hundreds of universities and research institutions worldwide, said McGuan. He also indicated that many of their orthopedic industry clients are realizing productivity increases up to 20 percent while also decreasing development costs by as much as 40 percent-simultaneously enhancing innovative techniques and reducing risk.
He sees the application for this new lumbar product as continuing that trend. And with tens of millions of lower back pain sufferers, it’s getting to market at just the right time.
LifeModeler, Inc. can be contacted at 949-366-6829, and additional information on the company and its products can be found at www.lifemodeler.com .
