A man from Marlow has created a device to help those with dementia, Parkinson’s and brain injuries.

Tom Finn, along with his business partner Rupert Barksfield, founded Magic Lines which is a technology company that develops augmented reality solutions for mobility-restricting symptoms related to neurodegenerative diseases.

Tom explained: “Originally inspired by physical therapy methods developed for Parkinson's Disease, I adapted the technique to try with my father, Nigel, who experiences mobility restrictions due to Dementia.

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“The original method which involved placing coloured line markers physically on a floor, worked surprisingly well and my dad was able to almost immediately stride across the room without the aid of a caretaker.

“This "ah-ha" moment rapidly evolved into an adaptation of the concept for augmented reality, so my dad (or any patient for that matter), could experience even greater freedom of movement.”

Tom and Rupert founded the business in 2018 and at the start of last year, the duo developed the idea as an MVP (minimum viable product) with the London-based company Apache.

A couple of months later, Tom and Rupert entered a competition with American start-up company Magic Leap, where their idea won themselves a £200k grant.

This has now allowed them to develop the product with their developers at Apache.

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Tom continued: “We have created an app for an augmented reality headset and the app uses visual cues to act as a trigger and activates a different (visual) part of the brain and allows the patient to walk without ‘freezing’.

“So far, we have tested with Parkinson’s and dementia, but also looking at rehabilitation from stroke.

“From a true "idea on a napkin" to a vision that could impact the lives of thousands, Magic Lines is extremely excited about the possibilities ahead.”