Industrial - Bachelors

R.A.N.G Glove

The R.A.N.G glove is a glove that aids in the process of rehabilitation of the hands of stroke patients, both with a therapist at a clinic or in a hospital but also at home, allowing for further rehabilitation to take place. This glove focuses on the task-specific function of grasp and release, aiding the user to close and extend their hand.

Riley Marsden

Abstract

The recovery process of stroke patients is highly dependent on the rehabilitation they receive. Various types of rehabilitative tools and devices are utilised in this process. Especially an area slowly being introduced in many forms is the use of robotic rehabilitation. This is an important area of research and focus, as there is a lack of resources available for adequate rehabilitation for stroke patients. The aims of this project and study were to understand the issues stroke patients have with hand rehabilitation and find solutions to these issues with the use of robotic rehabilitation. The study was conducted via interviews and online surveys to collect primary data on the experiences within rehabilitation. In the study, it was found that most people had issues with the rehabilitation and recovery of their hand functions and showing that there was a lack of engagement in the process. Further research suggested the rehabilitation process benefits from robotic devices aiding in the process of providing rehabilitation without the need for supervision. The study implies that robotic rehabilitation is the next step in rehabilitating patients post stroke. This provides design opportunities to be carried out to fill these areas of need. 

The Problem

Receiving rehabilitation after a stroke is not as simple as it may seem, there are many different types of therapists needed to help regain and retrain the body to function in a way as close to normal as possible. A minimum of 3 hours of Rehabilition, 1 hour per therapist, a day is vital to ensure the fullest recovery possible, however, this is where the problem lay. Patients on average can receive as little as 37 minutes a day, leaving many functions impacted due to the lack of focus that is able to be designated to those functions. The main areas that get focused on are cognitive abilities, speech and balance, this unfortunately leaves the upper limbs and directly the hands in a weakened state often unable to fully recover. This problem is what was explored further in the research in the first half of the semester.

Stroke victims can receive as little as 37 minutes of the 3 hours of recommend rehabilitation.

RESEARCH overview

A literature review covered various topics of stroke, rehabilitation and the ways in which robotics can be used to aid in this process. This analysed the current methods of rehabilitation and current ideas to help aid in this process and to create a more seamless fulfilled recovery for those who have suffered from strokes. The information discovered in the literature review influenced the following research to explore why things happen the way they do and more importantly how it can be improved. Both secondary and primary research was conducted to have an in-depth understating of the topic. The primary research included in the survey, for Stroke and other Traumatic Brain Injury patients, of both short response and multiple choice, was done to ensure an easy and non-invasive data collection for the participants who have suffered from strokes and for some still recovering. The second method of primary research was an interview with a Stroke Rehabilitation Therapist to receive first-hand knowledge of the system and understand how to design to help in practice.

(More information can be found in the research report)

The findings

The survey and interview introduced interesting data that suggest various issues in the rehabilitation process, but especially upon the rehabilitation of upper limbs, more specifically the hands. The survey and interview linked to each other and showed potential issues (Data can be found within the research report). These issues included:
– Inconsistent rehabilitation time between patients
– Limited time spent with a therapist/specialist

The findings revealed that longer task and function-specific rehabilitation helps to increase the amount of movement and strength that is able to be regained. While highlighting how the current system is not able to support the number of people who suffer from strokes.

Name
Research Report
File Type
application
File Size
769 KB
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DESIGN SOLUTION

The R.A.N.G Glove is a response to the problems identified during the research. This was the lack of rehabilitation time stroke patients receive and the dissatisfaction with hand results and the struggling stroke rehabilitation system. The R.A.N.G Glove addresses these points, by allowing for safe and beneficial rehabilitation to be completed without the need for a therapist to be present. Utilising soft robotics creates a system that guides the hand and acts as an extension of the therapist. This allows for the time spent with the therapist to be used for other important functions such as balance, speech and other vital functions impacted by a stroke.

Final design – R.A.N.G GLOVE

The R.A.N.G Glove is a pneumatic-based robotic glove that aids in helping the user to complete the task-specific rehabilitation of grasp and release, to help regain and retrain the body and brain to complete the movement range. This is done by pressure sensors located in the fingers that detect the pressure of the user trying to grasp hold of an item and then the lack of pressure when trying to release that item.

The R.A.N.G glove is able to adjust to fit multiple users, with the units between the joints, reducing the amount of variation of products that a clinic would need to store, while also allowing for the device to be more customisable and provide the best treatment to each patient. Patients would be able to hire a device, or purchase depending on their desire, once deemed eligible and their therapist would be able to size the exoskeleton components to the length of each finger. This is done by the therapist using the key to compress the lock and sliding the pieces to the desired length. This ensures a more accurate fit, allowing for personalised treatment.

Riley Marsden

Riley is a recent graduate of Industry Design and the designer of the R.A.N.G glove. Over the last 3 years of their studies, they have honed and developed their skills to create quality work. Some of their strengths are ideation, prototyping and model-making, but is always willing to learn more to develop further. Riley's goal is to create meaningful designs that aid in benefitting the users' life.