Pneumatic muscle fiber-like rehabilitation glove

Ce qu'il fait

Stroke Rehab Glove Micro-airbags assist finger movement. Smart handle adjusts resistance. Gamified training with real-time feedback rebuilds hand function and confidence.

Votre source d'inspiration

"In the hospital room, I watched my grandfather—stricken by stroke—trembling as he reached for chopsticks. When his fingertips were mere two centimeters away, a sudden spasm seized him. The porcelain bowl clattered to the floor in shards. 'He hasn’t eaten a meal on his own since the third infarction,' the nurse murmured. That hand suspended in mid-air remains etched in my memory."

Comment ça marche

Simplified English Version Working Principle Pneumatic Actuation 16 micro-airbags (Ø8mm) simulate muscle contraction Adjustable air-pressure (0-20kPa) controls finger motion Adaptive Resistance Magnetorheological damper (<15ms response) Dynamic resistance (0.5-8N·m) for real-life tasks AI Training Gamified VR tasks decompose complex movements Real-time haptic feedback corrects deviations

Processus de conception

1. Brainstorming Observed stroke patients' difficulty with rigid assistive devices. Explored bio-inspired solutions: studied muscle fiber contraction mechanisms. Selected pneumatic artificial muscles as core concept after comparing 5 actuation methods. 2. Prototyping Built first model using rubber tubes and syringes. Tested finger flexion with foam objects. Found issues: delayed response (>0.5s) and inconsistent force. Improved by weaving silicone tubes into fabric base. 3. Optimization Added pressure sensors to detect tremors. When shaking occurs, system reduces air pressure by 40%. Calibrated using EMG data from healthy subjects. Current version enables holding raw eggs without breakage.

En quoi est-il différent ?

1. Moves Like Your Real Hand While other rehab gloves force fingers straight, ours mimics natural muscle pull with soft air "strings". Like learning to dance with a partner instead of being pushed by a machine. 2. Senses Your Struggle If your hand trembles during training, our glove instantly softens support - like a therapist gently easing pressure. Others just keep pushing. 3. Grows With Your Progress Early recovery uses feather-light support; later stages add resistance like turning a stiff jar lid. One glove adapts for your whole journey.

Plans pour l'avenir

Phase 1: Smart Companion Teach glove to understand daily gestures like holding a cup or phone. Phase 2: Shared Healing Gloves quietly share progress with doctors, finding better rehab paths together. Phase 3: Invisible Care Build tech into comfy gloves - no medical look, just gentle help.

Récompenses

Milan Design Week