Kai Yang, Professor of E-textiles in Healthcare, and her team based at the University’s Winchester School of Art, have designed an electronic smart glove as an accessible rehabilitation tool for stroke survivors to use at home.
Designing the glove
The electronic smart glove has been designed with electrodes printed on the sleeve. These electrodes touch the skin and send electronic impulses to stimulate the nerves and muscles to produce movement. Stroke survivors can then move their weak side, helping them to regain muscle strength and function.
People who have had a stroke get fatigued easily, so engaging in long rehabilitation sessions is very challenging. This glove enables them to work on their rehab in small blocks of time when it suits them. With stroke rehabilitation, the more you practise movement, the more you regain muscle strength and mobility.
Development and testing
The prototype glove was developed using WSA’s industrial knitting machines. Electrodes were printed inside the knitted sleeve and connected to an electronic control unit, allowing the user to vary the stimulation level as required.
The prototype was tested by stroke survivor Dave Lea, through a collaboration with Different Strokes Southampton, a charity run by stroke survivors.
It’s life-changing, it means I can move my hand; something I’ve been unable to do for 8 years.”
Dave Lea, stroke survivor
A smart glove to improve stroke rehabilitation
The next steps
Kai is now looking to refine the design of the prototype glove by working with more stroke survivors. She then plans to conduct a home usability test with stroke survivors using the glove multiple times every day. Following this, she intends to seek regulatory approval and then work with a manufacturer to scale-up the production of the glove.
We are delighted with the prototype and would like to see this become a product that’s available to all stroke survivors, to help improve their recovery and their quality of life.
Professor Kai Yang
