The rehab glove: Passive tactile stimulation for stroke rehabilitation

Abstract

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability in the United States and globally. Many stroke survivors lose function in their upper extremities, which can make it difficult to do everyday tasks like dressing or eating. In addition to weakness and loss of sensation, spasticity and tone can cause hands to be involuntarily clenched in a rigid position — a problem for which there are few effective treatments. Getting rehabilitation therapy can be a challenge and up to 50% of stroke survivors do not qualify for traditional exercise-based therapies. This project investigates a novel stimulation method and a mobile, wearable device to provide therapy on-the-go and to those with very limited movement. Our stimulation method may provide a powerful tool to reduce disability after a stroke, and the wearable form factor allows users to receive intensive therapy during their normal daily routine. 

This project was renewed for a second round of Neuroscience:Translate funding in 2020