MusicGlove: New robotics facilitate hand rehabilitation in stroke survivors by Marilynn Larkin, MA

As authors of a recent editorial ... report, the increase in older adult numbers will be accompanied by an anticipated 55% increase in the total number of annual stroke cases by 2030. In the United States alone, more than 700,000 people sustain a stroke each year; importantly, about two-thirds of these individuals survive and require rehabilitation, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Yet six months after stroke, about 65% of patients still cannot incorporate the affected hand into their usual activities. Authors of a recent review of hand rehabilitation robotics for stroke survivors note that "recovery of hand function is one of the most challenging topics in stroke rehabilitation," largely because of the flexibility and complexity of the hand and the brain's motor cortex. ... [S]ome researchers are turning to technology for solutions, developing devices that motivate people to do the required exercises while helping to ensure that those exercises are performed correctly. One such device is MusicGlove.