This sounds exactly like what Margaret Yekutiel wrote in the book Sensory Re-Education of the Hand after Stroke in 2001. But better late than never.
http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=99989&CultureCode=en
From April, 2011
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 from ECS-Electronics and Computer Science, 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 from the University’s Faculty
of Health Sciences and Dr Cheryl Metcalf who works across Health
Sciences and ECS, to develop three ‘tactile’ devices which generate a
realistic “sense of touch” and sensation which mimic those involved in
everyday activities.
“Most stroke rehabilitation systems ignore the role of sensation and
they only allow people repetitive movement,” said Dr Demain. “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.
“We now have a number of technologies, which we can use to develop sensation,” said Dr Merrett.
“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,” Dr Metcalf concluded.
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/21802/
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