Robotic Gloves Rehabilitation
The majority of people with neurological conditions, such as stroke and spinal cord injury, suffer from loss of motor function in one or both hands, which can greatly reduce their quality of life. Tasks often taken for granted become frustrating or nearly impossible due to tight and spastic muscles, reduced grasping strength, and general lack of coordination in the hand. While occupational therapy can help restore function, it requires a high number of repetitions of hand exercises to be effective, and many patients lack access to consistent treatment due to high cost or travel requirements.
Our Solution
The Rehoboth’ soft robotic glove provides an at-home option for therapeutic hand exercises to improve patients’ dexterity and restore function. The glove has inflatable chambers that gently bend and straighten the fingers, providing the stretching and repetitive exercise needed to restore lost hand function. Low pressure and comfortable materials make this device safe and desirable for repeated use. The minimalist form factor of soft robotics allows users to go about their daily activities without discomfort or frustration while wearing the glove in its unpowered state, and then smoothly transition into the glove’s powered assistance when they begin their therapeutic routine. The glove’s control system is portable and lightweight and can be placed on a tabletop or attached to a wheelchair. Feedback collected from sensors in the glove can be sent to an occupational therapist, who can modify the rehabilitation program and assess progress in real time without the patient having to visit the office.
