Intelligent Glove for Rehabilitation of Hand Movement in Stroke Survivor

Stroke is the leading cause of adult disabilities and the third leading cause of death worldwide. Hemiplegia is the most common deficiency that occurs as a result of a stroke. In this situation the survivor loses control of the skills needed for daily activities. In this paper we will present a prototype that aims to combine medical recovery procedures with new technologies in a customized scheme adapted to the particularities of the disease and the patient for an optimal, efficient and operative result in its recovery. In individualizing a rehabilitation treatment to regain the skills that the patient has lost, careful follow-up and evaluation is required to quantify the hand movements that the patient is able to perform. To this end, we have developed a smart, sensor-based glove that can be customized according to the patient's functional residual. To maximize the recovery process, we have proposed some essential exercises in which patients are involved during recovery, both between sessions and after treatment. The system proposed by us has the shape of a glove with sensors capable of transposing movements captured in the gestures of the hand, as a basis for the control and rehabilitation function. The device is able to detect flexion, finger movement and the force with which the patient performs the grip. Using this personalized glove in combination with manual therapy or mirror rehabilitation technique increases the chances of rapid recovery of hemiplegic patients.