JointSense Pioneers Innovation in Health Professions Education
A team from the Melbourne School of Health Sciences has secured a place in one of the University’s flagship innovation accelerator programs – ’InnovatEd’ for 2025 – this is an exciting milestone for the team as they proudly represent the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences (MDHS) as the only health team in this year’s cohort. Their project, ‘JointSense’, is a sensor-based technology designed to transform the way joint stability assessment is taught and performed in clinical practice.
Led by A/Prof Mark Merolli, with A/Prof Adam Bryant and Dr Scott Starkey, the physiotherapy team is tackling a long-standing challenge in musculoskeletal healthcare: teaching students and early-career clinicians how to assess joint stability accurately. This critical skill underpins effective diagnosis and treatment in physiotherapy, medicine and surgery, and related disciplines, yet it remains notoriously difficult to master.
Addressing a Gap in Health Education with a Smart Solution
Joint stability assessment relies heavily on manual handling skills—the ability to feel and interpret joint movement with precision. However, many students struggle with this skill. JointSense introduces an innovative approach using sensor-based technology to enhance learning and assessment. By incorporating instant, data-driven feedback, the team says this has the potential to accelerate skill acquisition, improve practitioner confidence, and enhance patient safety and clinical outcomes.
Pushing the Boundaries of EdTech Innovation
With the support of InnovatEd, which is part of the Melbourne Entrepreneurial Centre (MEC) based at Melbourne Connect, the team will further develop and validate their prototype, leveraging resources such as funding, mentorship, and industry connections.
A/Prof Merolli says “We see this project as more than an innovation in physiotherapy—it has broad applications across healthcare education. From sports medicine and orthopaedics to surgical training, or even veterinary science”. JointSense represents a scalable, technology-driven solution for improving clinical competencies.
What’s Next for the team?
Over the coming months, the team will refine their prototype, test its accuracy against gold-standard assessment tools, and explore pathways for broader implementation. As they progress, they hope that their work will contribute to shaping the future of hands-on learning in health sciences—one step closer to bridging the gap between theory and practice.
