Torque Balancing Active Wrist Brace

Brief Description

An innovative spring-actuated wrist brace that dynamically counterbalances wrist stiffness to assist people with spasticity, such as people with stroke or cerebral palsy, in regaining hand movement.

Full Description

This orthopedic wrist brace is designed to aid people with wrist spasticity reduce the muscle effort needed for hand movements impaired by excessive wrist stiffness and resistance to stretch. Utilizing a specialized spring-actuated six-bar linkage mechanism, the device provides adjustable counter-torque to the wrist joint, effectively balancing the increased stiffness typical in stroke patients. This dynamic support enables a wider range of motion from flexion to extension, improving rehabilitation outcomes by easing muscle strain and facilitating smoother hand movements.

Suggested uses

• Stroke and cerebral palsy rehabilitation therapy for hand and wrist movement recovery.
• Orthopedic devices for patients with neurological impairments affecting wrist mobility.
• Physical and occupational therapy clinics and rehabilitation centers.
• Assistive technologies for improving quality of life in neurologic patients.
• Medical device manufacturers specializing in rehabilitative braces and supports.

Advantages

• Significantly reduces muscle force required for wrist and hand movement in patients with abnormal wrist muscle tone.
• First active wrist brace to provide negative stiffness counteracting intrinsic wrist stiffness.
• Supports wrist movement in both flexion and extension directions.
• Adjustable torque compensation tailored to individual patient needs.
• Employs advanced six-bar linkage design to ensure smooth, reliable assistive torque.

Patent Status

State Of Development

A prototype has been tested on stroke patients.

Related Materials

• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285801338_Kinematic_synthesis_of_Stephenson_III_six-bar_function_generators - 03/01/2016
• Master of Science Thesis by Derek Michael Bissell, UC Irvine - 01/01/2014