Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed customizable, 3D printed gloves that can be controlled remotely, thereby opening up the possibility of tele-consultation by physiotherapists.
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed customizable, 3D printed gloves that can be controlled remotely, thereby opening up the possibility of tele-consultation by physiotherapists.
With an aim to help stroke victims, researchers from the Department of Physics at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a soft, wearable device that exploits the fundamental properties of light to sense the movements of a patient’s limb or fingers. Is. The customizable, 3D printed glove can be controlled remotely, opening up the possibility of tele-consultation by a physiotherapist.
According to researchers, stroke is the third leading cause of death in India, and the sixth leading cause of disability. Physiotherapy is one of the few treatments available to rehabilitate stroke victims and patients with physical injuries, but depending on the severity of the disability, it can take several days to months, making a difference to the patients as well as their attendants. It also becomes challenging.
“We wanted to develop something that was affordable, and available to an individual at all times at their convenience. The product should be easy to use and provide feedback,” said Avik Bid, associate professor in the Department of Physics, whose team equipment has been developed.
Researchers say the device has been tested for stability for more than 10 months, and no loss of sensitivity or accuracy has been detected. The device has been completely designed and manufactured in India, and is expected to be priced under ₹1,000. A patent has been filed, and the researchers expect the device to be launched in the market soon.
Pro. Bid explained that quantitative feedback—for example, units of pressure applied when squeezing a ball or the degree of bending of a leg with a knee injury—is important for doctors to monitor a patient even remotely. Such feedback can motivate patients to consistently perform better with each session.
Another challenge is that physiotherapy often requires daily visits to the hospital. Home visits by professionals or sophisticated equipment to monitor patients remotely, although ideal, are not readily available, and are expensive. To address these challenges, the team developed a mechanism by which customizable wearables, such as hand gloves, could be designed, 3D printed and controlled remotely.
“The idea behind the device is that you wear something like a glove, the physiotherapist controls the device from a remote location via the Internet, and moves your hands and fingers,” Prof. According to the bid.
The device can sense different movements of the hand and fingers and accurately detect parameters such as pressure, angle of bending and shape.
The technology driving the device is based on fundamental properties of light: refraction and reflection. A light source is placed at one end of a transparent rubber material, and a light detector is at the other end. Any movement in the patient’s finger or arm deforms the flexible material. Distortion alters the path of light, and thereby alters its properties. The device translates this change in light properties into a quantitative unit. Since light travels the entire length of the device, motion can be accurately measured with any part of the patient’s finger or arm.
“The device is highly sensitive – enough to respond to the touch of a butterfly,” said team member Abhijit Chandra Roy, DST-Inspire faculty in the Department of Physics and the brain behind the project. “Furthermore, while existing instruments can only detect bending of a single finger, the new device can also measure the degree of bending at each joint of the finger.”
For their device, the researchers used a silicon-based polymer material that is transparent (facilitating the manipulation of light), soft (for comfort and repeated use), and most importantly, 3D printed. It can be customized to fit each patient’s hand and fingers. The device can capture and store data, and transmit it over the Internet, facilitating remote monitoring by physicians or physiotherapists.