Researchers Develop Therapy Device For Stroke Victims

Researchers have developed a new stroke rehabilitation device to help patients recovery faster.

AsianScientist (Apr. 18, 2013) – Researchers at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have developed a new stroke rehabilitation device to help patients recovery faster.

The new stroke therapy system, called the Synergistic Physio-Neuro Platform (SynPhNe), is currently undergoing clinical trials at local hospitals. So far, 10 patients have undergone the trial for 12 sessions, each lasting 90 minutes.

The patients – who had undergone conventional rehabilitation for a year or more and had hit a plateau in their recovery – reported beneficial outcomes and no side effects. According to the researchers, some of these long-term stroke sufferers recovered up to 70 percent of motor function clinical scores in just a month during the trial.

SynPhNe’s inventors are Dr. John Heng, a senior research fellow at NTU’s School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and his PhD student, Mr Banerji Subhasis.

“While current rehabilitation systems do benefit many patients, there are also other patients who still have difficulties performing everyday activities like holding a fork or drinking from a cup, despite the usual rehab sessions,” said Heng.

“SynPhNe works by giving real-time feedback to the patients on what is happening in their mind and in their muscles. Patients using SynPhNe know where their problems lie and can slowly work towards overcoming each problem, instead of feeling frustrated and going through a painful, expensive and prolonged trial-and-error process when their improvements are not visible.”

SynPhNe consists of patented computer software connected to a specially designed headset with neural sensors and a sensor arm glove. The device is designed to be worn easily by stroke patients who usually have control of only one arm.

These sensors provide feedback on the stress, attention, and relaxation levels of the mind and which muscles are being activated or inhibited by the patient. The software contains instructional videos for limb movements which the patient can mimic to improve his/her performance of various tasks.

Sensor information is displayed in real time via the computer screen so that the patient is aware of what is happening in his mind and body while undergoing the rehabilitation exercises.

Subhasis said that while multi-model associative learning is known to be useful in the development of babies and in education, it is the first time that their research team is adapting it for stroke therapy.

“For example, if a patient wants to move his wrist, but his wrist is not moving, SynPhNe will be able to show him that his mind had sent out a signal, his muscles have received it, but because supporting and opposing muscles are clenched, he will need to relax the opposing muscle in order to move his wrist,” Subhasis explained.

“In short, SynPhNe makes patients aware of what is happening with their bodies so they learn how to relax their mind and muscles. This helps them to re-learn simple actions like holding a pen or a cup which may be arduous tasks for stroke victims,” he said.

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Source: NTU.
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