Touchy-feely options for stroke rehabilitation
Devices which could be used to rehabilitate the arms and hands of people who have experienced a stroke have been developed by researchers at the University of Southampton.
In a paper to be presented this week (6 April) at the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Assisted Living Conference, Dr Geoff Merrett, a lecturer in electronic systems and devices, will describe the design and evaluation of three technologies, which could help people who are affected by stroke to regain movement in their hand and arm.
Dr Merrett worked with Dr Sara Demain, a lecturer in physiotherapy and Dr Cheryl Metcalf, a researcher in electronic systems and devices, to develop three ‘tactile' devices, which generate a realistic ‘sense of touch' and sensation - mimicking those involved in everyday activities.
Dr Demain says: "Most stroke rehabilitation systems ignore the role of sensation and they only allow people repetitive movement. Our aim is to develop technology which provides people with a sense of holding something or of feeling something, like, for example, holding a hot cup of tea, and we want to integrate this with improving motor function."
Three tactile devices were developed and tested on patients who had had a stroke and on healthy participants. The devices were: a ‘vibration' tactile device, which users felt provided a good indication of touch but did not really feel as if they were holding anything; a ‘motor-driven squeezer' device, which users said felt like they were holding something, a bit like catching a ball; and a ‘shape memory alloy' device which has thermal properties and creates a sensation like picking up a cup of tea.
Dr Merrett adds: "We now have a number of technologies, which we can use to develop sensation. This technology can be used on its own as a stand-alone system to help with sensory rehabilitation or it could be used alongside existing health technologies such as rehabilitation robots or gaming technologies which help patient rehabilitation."
The academics' paper: Design and Qualitative Evaluation of Tactile Devices for Stroke Rehabilitation will be presented at the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Assisted Living Conference. A copy of the paper can be accessed at: http://eprints.ecs.soton.ac.uk
Notes for editors
1. For details about the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Assisted Living Conference, visit: http://conferences.theiet.org/assisted-living/index.cfm
2. With around 500 researchers, and 900 undergraduate students, Electronics and Computer Science at Southampton is one of the world's largest and most successful integrated research groupings, covering Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electronics, Electrical Engineering, and IT in Organisations. ECS has unrivalled depth and breadth of expertise in world-leading research, new developments and their applications.
3. The University of Southampton is a leading UK teaching and research institution with a global reputation for research and scholarship across a wide range of subjects in engineering, science, social sciences, health, arts and humanities.
With over 22,000 students, around 5000 staff, and an annual turnover well in excess of £400 million, the University of Southampton is one of the country's top institutions for engineering, computer science and medicine. We combine academic excellence with an innovative and entrepreneurial approach to research, supporting a culture that engages and challenges students and staff in their pursuit of learning.
The University is also home to a number of world-leading research centres, including the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, the Optoelectronics Research Centre, the Centre for the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease, the Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute and is a partner of the National Oceanography Centre at the Southampton waterfront campus.
For further information contact:
Dr Geoff Merrett, Electronic Systems and Devices Group, School of Electronics and Computer Science, Tel: 023 8059 2775, email: gvm@ecs.soton.ac.uk
Joyce Lewis, Communications Manager, School of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Southampton, Tel: 023 8059 5453; email jkl2@ecs.soton.ac.uk
Glenn Harris, Media Relations, University of Southampton, Tel: 023 8059 3212; email: G.Harris@soton.ac.uk