Hand treatment device capable of sensing motion

Abstract

The present invention relates to a motion-aware hand treatment device (1) comprising a flexible housing (5) having a first leg (3) configured to receive fingers of a hand of a patient, a second leg (4) configured to receive a thumb of the patient, and a U-shaped portion (2) configured to receive a palm of the patient. The device (1) further comprises a first reinforcing member (6) connected to a distal end region of the first leg (3) of the housing (5), a second reinforcing member (7) connected to a distal end region of the second leg (4) of the housing (5), and a third reinforcing member (8) connected to and reinforcing the U-shaped portion (2) of the housing (5). Further, the device comprises a movement mechanism defining the movement path and resistance of the first (6) and second (7) reinforcing members relative to the third reinforcing member (8); the invention further discloses a corresponding hand treatment system and a hand training method.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a handheld therapeutic device which can support the sensorimotor rehabilitation of a patient's hand, for example after a stroke, disease, accident, etc. The invention also relates to a corresponding therapeutic system and a training method. Background Art

[0002] Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability among adults worldwide, with millions of cases each year. Most stroke survivors suffer from hemiparesis, i.e. paralysis on one side of the body, resulting in a severe reduction in their ability to perform typical activities of daily life (manipulating objects, writing, eating, driving, etc.). Impaired finger function due to stroke can be summarized as failure to extend the fingers, poor finger coordination, loss of finger independence, poor exploratory movements, slow and clumsy object manipulation and grasping, and especially the inability to control and maintain a constant grip force.

[0003] However, the plasticity of the human brain helps to reorganize the neural connections damaged by the stroke, thus slowly partially restoring the impaired function. Rehabilitation is performed after a stroke to stimulate recovery, usually by performing repetitive strenuous movements involving the damaged limb. An appropriate rehabilitation program must be task-oriented, focusing on activities of daily living and repetitive movements to provide effective treatment. It is well known that rehabilitation is also essential for other neuropathological injuries (Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy) and physical rehabilitation.

[0004] Compared to traditional rehabilitation in hospitals and specialized centers, treatment at home gives people the advantage of practicing skills and developing compensatory strategies in their own living environment. However, home-based rehabilitation programs require the use of specialized equipment in both the medical facility and the home. Motivation is also a problem for the subject who trains alone, as he will not take advantage of the group effect.

[0005] Devices used in rehabilitation centers, such as soft balls, are often used to train finger function in a relatively simple way.

[0006] In KR 10147805 A1, another hand exercise device is described. Thus, the palm part on the wrist side of a patient whose fingers are stiff and curled toward the palm, the fingers other than the thumb of the patient, and the palm part on the finger side other than the thumb are separated or gathered from each other to exercise. The device can be applied to easily perform physical therapy in a medical institution or in daily life, and can be manufactured in a relatively easy manner at a relatively low cost.

[0007] However, the soft balls and fairly basic hand exercise devices described above are unable to measure the patient's performance or provide them with accurate performance feedback.

[0008] According to EP 3895679 A1, a handheld rehabilitation device is known, which comprises a housing, an actuator, a battery, a microcontroller and an opening mechanism comprising at least one opening plate. The opening mechanism comprises at least one rotation axis, about which the at least one opening plate rotates from a closed position to an open position. The at least one opening plate is rotatably connected to the housing via a radial bearing and rotates to a maximum rotation angle. The actuator, the battery and the microcontroller are preferably included in the housing. Thus, the complete housing fits in the palm of the hand. The microcontroller controls the speed and the maximum rotation angle of the opening mechanism. Therefore, the microcontroller also controls the actuator. The at least one opening plate rotates between a closed position and an open position by the actuator. This handheld rehabilitation device can improve the hand function of stroke survivors. It can enable passive hand movements to maintain hand function and avoid muscle contraction, which can be used for patients with moderately severe hand dysfunction.

[0009] However, this type of handheld rehabilitation device includes a rather complex design, using multiple types of sensors, such as force sensors in the opening plate for force measurement and time-of-flight sensors for determining the position of the opening plate. However, in such a device, there is a risk of pinching due to the gaps between the moving parts, which limits its application in unsupervised training. Furthermore, such a device does not guarantee a physiological grip.

[0010] Therefore, there is a need for a further improved device with fewer parts, improved hand ergonomics, and enhanced applicability for unsupervised perceptual hand rehabilitation, as well as a corresponding hand therapy system and hand training method. Summary of the invention

[0011] According to the invention, this need is solved by a sensorimotor hand therapy device according to claim 1, a therapy system according to claim 15 and a method for training a patient's hand according to claim 18. Preferred embodiments are subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0012] In one aspect, the present invention relates to a motion-sensing hand therapy device, comprising a flexible housing having a first leg configured to accommodate a finger of a patient's hand, a second leg configured to accommodate a thumb of the patient, and a U-shaped portion configured to accommodate a palm of the patient. Further, the motion-sensing hand therapy device comprises a first reinforcing member connected to a distal region of the first leg of the housing, a second reinforcing member connected to a distal region of the second leg of the housing, and a third reinforcing member connected to and reinforcing the U-shaped portion of the housing. Further, the motion-sensing hand therapy device comprises a motion mechanism that defines a motion route and resistance of the first reinforcing member and the second reinforcing member relative to the third reinforcing member.

[0013] The term "flexible housing" as used herein includes housings consisting of completely flexible parts and substantially rigid parts or parts that are flexible only to a limited extent.

[0014] The "first and second reinforcing members" are substantially rigid portions of the housing that function as the stabilizing gripping portions of the fingertips and thumb (fingertips) of a human hand.

[0015] The "third reinforcement member" is also the basic rigid part of the shell, which corresponds to the palm of the human hand and serves as a support member, which can achieve favorable ergonomic properties, especially improved grip, such as for larger diameter power grip (which is one of the most commonly used gripping methods in daily life activities (ADL)).

[0016] It should be noted that according to the present invention, the housing and the reinforcing member can be made of the same material, wherein the reinforcing member is a locally reinforced rigid portion with a wall thickness greater than the flexible portion of the housing. However, the flexible portion of the housing can be made of a material different from the reinforcing member.

[0017] Therefore, the term "connected to" as used herein includes an integral shell, i.e., a reinforcing member made of the same material as the flexible portion of the shell and arranged at the distal regions of the first and second legs in the palm region of the shell, respectively (i.e., made integrally), and a shell in which the reinforcing member is made of a material different from the flexible portion of the shell and is physically connected to the flexible shell portion by suitable fastening means.

[0018] An exemplary material from which the housing can be manufactured, for example, by 3D printing, is polylactic acid (PLA).Other suitable plastic materials (but also generally non-plastic materials, such as sheet metal) are also conceivable.

[0019] The term "movement mechanism" generally includes a gear drive mechanism, but is also applicable to other mechanisms that define the movement paths and movement resistances of the first and second reinforcement members relative to the third reinforcement member, such as an appropriate cable transmission scheme.

[0020] Preferably, the movement mechanism comprises a motor, in particular an electric motor, to define a resistance to movement of the first and second reinforcement members relative to the third reinforcement member. In this way, a compact design can be achieved and the overall weight of the motion sensing hand therapy device can be reduced.

[0021] Preferably, the motion-sensing hand therapy device comprises a control unit, wherein the control unit controls the motor of the motion mechanism to define the resistance to motion of the first and second reinforcement members relative to the third reinforcement member based on the displacement of the first and second reinforcement members relative to the third reinforcement member. In this control scheme, the interaction force is calculated as a function of the displacement of the user's finger, without measuring the actual interaction force between the user and the device. Therefore, no additional force sensor is required; however, this does require a back-drivable and mechanically transparent transmission device. However, force sensors can also be used in the motion-sensing hand therapy device.

[0022] Preferably, the control unit controlling the motor comprises controlling the torque of the motor. This has proven to be a very efficient way of calculating the corresponding haptic interaction.

[0023] Preferably, the kinematic mechanism comprises a multi-stage transmission unit for transmitting the motor torque. Advantageously, the transmission unit comprises a first stage, preferably in the form of a belt connection, a second stage, preferably in the form of a first herringbone gear member, and a third stage, preferably in the form of a second herringbone gear member. This transmission solution has been proven to be mechanically transparent. In addition, this transmission is reversibly drivable. However, other types of gears, such as worm gears, may also be suitable for the present kinematic hand therapy device. In addition, a cable transmission may be suitable for the present kinematic hand therapy device.

[0024] Preferably, the transmission unit is connected to the first reinforcing member via a first connecting member arranged on the first herringbone gear member and to the second reinforcing member via a second connecting member arranged on the second herringbone gear member. In this way, the housing end points are coupled to the transmission mechanism in a reliable and effective manner. Advantageously, the first connecting member and the second connecting member are in the form of rods, in particular aluminum rods, in order to reduce weight. Preferably, the rods are movably arranged in curved guide grooves, which are provided in a base plate of the transmission case or in a housing enclosing the transmission part.

[0025] Preferably, the belt connection comprises a pulley, a motor shaft and a timing belt, wherein, further preferably, the pulley has a herringbone gear.Therefore, an efficient and space-saving structure can be provided.

[0026] Preferably, the pulley is operatively connected to the motor shaft via a timing belt, wherein the second herringbone gear member meshes with the herringbone gear, wherein the first herringbone gear member meshes with the second herringbone gear member. This results in a particularly transparent transmission.

[0027] Preferably, the motor shaft has a first diameter, the pulley has a second diameter, the gear has a third diameter, the first herringbone gear member has a fourth diameter, and the second herringbone gear member has a fifth diameter. In this way, an advantageous transmission ratio can be obtained.

[0028] Preferably, the control unit includes a function for calculating a motor torque, which includes the product of a relative radius and a resistance and defines the resistance to movement. Therefore, the relative radius includes the sum of the arc radius of the second reinforcing member of the housing divided by the total transmission ratio associated with the second reinforcing member of the housing and the arc radius of the first reinforcing member of the housing divided by the total transmission ratio associated with the first reinforcing member of the housing. This has proven to be a relatively effective method for determining the motor torque relative to the expected resistance interaction force given by the present transmission device. In other words, a combined displacement is first calculated. Based on this and the corresponding virtual reality hand therapy game, the expected force is then calculated. Subsequently, the motor torque required to make the user feel the force in the game is calculated.

[0029] Preferably, the total transmission ratio associated with the second reinforcement member of the housing is between about 14 and about 22, preferably between about 16 and about 20, further preferably between about 18, further preferably, the total transmission ratio associated with the first reinforcement member of the housing is between about 8 and about 16, preferably between about 10 and about 14, further preferably between about 12. For the present solution, a relatively low transmission ratio is desired, as this has been shown to be beneficial for mechanical transparency.

[0030] Preferably, the housing is configured to provide a physiological force grip of the patient's hand. As mentioned above, this is one of the most commonly used grips when performing activities of daily living (ADL) and is effectively trained in the clinic.

[0031] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a treatment system comprising the aforementioned sensory-motion hand therapy device and a computer device configured to execute a virtual reality hand therapy game thereon. The use of such a sensory-motion hand therapy device and a motivational VR game in minimally supervised or unsupervised home-based training helps to further motivate the patient and increase the treatment dose by providing continuous care. The term "computer device" as used herein may include, for example, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a smart phone, a tablet computer, etc.

[0032] Preferably, the virtual reality hand therapy (or rehabilitation) game is configured to be based on the combined displacement s and speed of the first reinforcement member and the second reinforcement member. And preferably by further taking into account parameters representing virtual springs and virtual viscous damping, the rendering force Fr is calculated. This has proven to be a relatively effective way of determining the rendering force (ie, based on the movement of the thumb and fingertips) in rehabilitation games.

[0033] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for training a patient's hand. The method comprises the steps of providing a sensorimotor hand therapy as described above; providing a computer device on which a virtual reality hand therapy game is installed; performing a game task with the aid of a hand avatar on the screen of the computer device, the task requiring the application of a specific interaction force to a virtual deformable object on the screen of the computer device by the sensorimotor hand therapy device and the hand avatar; and squeezing the virtual deformable object with the hand avatar until a predetermined threshold of the specific interaction force is reached. Advantageously, the virtual deformable object comprises a dispenser filled with a virtual liquid, wherein the dispenser is configured to be squeezed so as to fill a virtual glass arranged below the dispenser with the virtual liquid until a maximum filling level is reached. Preferably, different types of dispensers with different virtual dexterity are provided so as to generate comprehensive feedback. This game training method provides a number of specific advantages, namely low complexity, credibility and adaptability of virtual elements with different rich tactile features. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The method of the present invention is described in more detail below by means of exemplary embodiments of the present invention and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0035] Figure 1 A perspective view of the hand therapy device for sensing motion of the present invention is shown, wherein the transmission device is disposed in a transmission box;

[0036] Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 a perspective view of a sensory motion hand therapy device wherein the base plate of the transmission housing has been removed to allow depiction of the transmission components;

[0037] Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 A perspective bottom view of a sensory motion hand therapy device with a transmission housing removed to illustrate the arrangement of a belt connection of the transmission;

[0038] Figure 4 The present invention is shown in (A) a top view of the housing of the present invention held by a human hand, and (B) when a force F is applied. t (applied by the thumb) and F f Schematic diagram of the bending of the shell when (applied by the fingertip);

[0039] Figure 5 (A) shows a perspective view of a transmission according to the invention having three transmission stages and an aluminum rod, (B) shows a bottom view of the transmission according to the invention, and (C) shows a top view of the transmission according to the invention;

[0040] Figure 6A screenshot of a virtual reality game of the present invention is shown, wherein four liquid-filled dispensers are squeezed by a hand avatar;

[0041] Figure 7 The results of different amounts of force applied to the dispenser are shown in sequence, ie, too little (left) to more than optimal (center) to too much (right). DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] In the following description, for convenience, certain terms are used, but it is not intended to limit the present invention. The terms "right", "left", "up", "down", "below" and "above" refer to the directions in the figure. The terms include the terms explicitly mentioned and their derivatives and terms with similar meanings. In addition, spatially relative terms, such as "below", "below", "lower", "above", "upper", "proximal end", "distal end", etc., can be used to describe the relationship between an element or feature and another element or feature, as shown in the figure. In addition to the position and direction shown in the figure, these spatially relative terms are intended to cover the different positions and directions of the device in use or operation. For example, if the device in the figure is turned over, the elements described as "below" or "below" other elements or features will be "above" or "above" other elements or features. Therefore, the exemplary term "below" can include the position and direction above and below. The device can be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or other directions), and the spatial relative descriptors used here are interpreted accordingly. Similarly, the description of the movement along and around various axes includes various special device positions and directions.

[0043] To avoid duplication of drawings and descriptions of different aspects and illustrative embodiments, it should be understood that many features of many aspects and embodiments are common. Omitting an aspect from the description or drawings does not mean that the aspect is missing from the embodiments containing the aspect. On the contrary, the aspect may have been omitted for clarity and to avoid lengthy descriptions. In this case, the following applies to the remainder of this specification: If, for the purpose of illustrating the drawings, the drawings contain reference numerals that are not explained in the directly related parts of the specification, reference is made to the preceding or following description. Further, for clarity, if reference numerals are not provided for all features of a part in the drawings, reference is made to other figures showing the same part. The same numbers in two or more figures represent the same or similar elements.

[0044] The following provides a detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, namely an exemplary sensorimotor hand therapy device and screenshots of an exemplary virtual reality game used in the therapy system and hand training method.

[0045] Figure 1A perspective view of the sensory motion hand therapy device 1 of the present invention is shown, wherein the transmission device is not visibly arranged in the transmission box 18. The housing 5 of the sensory motion hand therapy device 1 includes a first leg 3 and a second leg 4. The first leg 3, which is usually a flexible part of the housing 5, includes two straps 17 on its outer side, which are used to firmly connect the fingers of a human hand thereto. Therefore, the first leg 3 is usually longer than the second leg 4, and the second leg 4 is configured to accommodate the thumb of a human hand. A first reinforcing member 6 is connected to the distal region of the first leg 3, and a second reinforcing member 7 is connected to the distal region of the second leg 4. The first reinforcing member 6 rests on the base plate 18c and includes an aluminum rod 15, which is guided in a first curved guide groove 18a provided in the base plate 18c, and the second reinforcing member 7 also rests on the base plate 18c and includes an aluminum rod 16, which is guided in a second curved guide groove 18b provided in the base plate 18c. The curved guide grooves 18a and 18b reflect the bending movement of the first and second reinforcing members 5 and 6, respectively. Aluminum rods 15 and 16 provide coupling of the first and second reinforcing members 6, 7 to the (hidden) transmission unit. The third reinforcing member 8 is arranged in the U-shaped portion 2 of the housing 5, which is configured to accommodate the palm of a human hand. The first and second legs 3 and 4 protrude from the third reinforcing member 8. The circular bottom shape of the device 1 allows the pronation and supination movements to be performed by tilting the device 1 to the left and right. These movements can be measured, for example, by an inertial measurement unit. In the present embodiment, the third reinforcing member 8 accommodates a motor 10 of a motion mechanism of the hand therapy device 1 for sensing movement. A control unit 9 for controlling the motor 10 is provided. The control unit 9 can be arranged in the transmission box 18, or can be remotely connected to the motor 10 (i.e., in particular wirelessly). The motion mechanism generally defines the motion route and resistance of the first reinforcing member 6 and the second reinforcing member 7 relative to the third reinforcing member 8, and the motion is controlled by the control unit through the motor 10. The motion mechanism generally includes a motor 10 and a transmission unit 11 of the hand therapy device 1 that senses motion, which will be described below.

[0046] exist Figure 2 It further explains Figure 1 1, wherein the base plate 18c of the transmission case 18 has been removed in order to depict a single (upper) component of the transmission unit 11. It can be seen that the first rod 15 of the first reinforcing member 6 is operably connected to the first herringbone gear member 13, and the second rod 16 of the second reinforcing member 7 is operably connected to the second herringbone gear member 14. Further, the second herringbone gear member 14 is meshed with the herringbone gear 12c, which is arranged on the pulley 12a connected by the belt driven by the motor 10. Further, the second herringbone gear member 14 is also meshed with the first herringbone gear member 13, so that the first reinforcing member 6 and the second reinforcing member 7 can move relative to the third reinforcing member 8.

[0047] exist Figure 3 middle, Figure 1 The hand therapy device 1 for perceiving movement is further shown in a perspective bottom view, with the transmission case 18 removed in order to depict a single (lower) component of the transmission unit 11. It can be seen that the shaft 10a of the motor 10 and the belt-connected pulley 12a are operably connected by a synchronous belt 12b, which runs around the two components. Therefore, the motor shaft 10a and the pulley 12a may include toothed surfaces to better engage with the synchronous belt 12b. The motor shaft 10a protrudes through the recess in the second herringbone gear member 14, which ensures that the motor shaft 10a and the pulley 12a are on the same horizontal plane and makes the structure of the transmission unit 11 space-saving. When the rods 15 and 16 move along their respective guide grooves 18a and 18b, the first herringbone gear member 13 and the second herringbone gear member 14 are rotatably moved together with the rods 15 and 16. The pulley 12a is connected to the first rod 15 via a connecting member 19. The first herringbone gear member 13 is also rotatably arranged on the connecting member 19.

[0048] Figure 4 In (A) a top view of the housing 5 grasped by a human hand is shown. The fingertips engage with the first reinforcing member 6, and the thumb engages with the second reinforcing member 7. The third reinforcing member 8 is accommodated in the palm of the human hand. A flexible portion 3a is provided between the first reinforcing member 6 and the third reinforcing member 8, and a flexible portion 4a is provided between the second reinforcing member 7 and the third reinforcing member 8. (B) is an applied force F t (applied by the thumb) and F f Schematic diagram of the bending of the housing 5 when the force F is applied by the fingertip. Therefore, the first leg 3 represented mainly by the first flexible portion 3a and the first reinforcing member 6 is bent by the force F applied by the fingertip. f The second leg 4 is bent in the inward direction indicated by the corresponding arrow and mainly represented by the second flexible portion 4a and the first reinforcing member 7 by the force F applied by the thumb. t It also bends in the inward direction as indicated by the corresponding arrows. The U-shaped portion 2 with the third reinforcing member 8 is substantially rigid and is not subject to bending (ie, is only subject to bending to a small extent).

[0049] The fingertips and thumb tips can be considered to be roughly coincident with the end points of the housing, that is, the first reinforcement member 6 and the second reinforcement member 7, and are arranged along a radius r t and r f , the center point is C t and C f These parameters are defined during the iterative design process of the housing 5. Therefore, the thumb and fingertip displacement s t and fis defined as the arc length, when the housing 5 is at maximum extension, the initial value s t =0mm and s f =0mm.

[0050] Figure 5 In (A), (B) and (C) are shown different views of the transmission unit 11 of the present invention, with three transmission stages. In (A), a perspective view of the first herringbone gear member 13, the second herringbone gear member 14 (with aluminum rods 15 and 16 connected thereto, respectively) and the belt connection with the pulley 12a, the timing belt 12b and the shaft 10a driven by the motor 10 is shown. In (B), a corresponding bottom view is provided, in particular depicting the diameter d1 of the motor shaft 10a and the diameter d2 of the pulley 12a, and in (C) a corresponding top view is provided, in particular depicting the diameter d3 of the herringbone gear 12c, the diameter d4 of the second herringbone gear member 14 and the diameter d5 of the first herringbone gear member 13.

[0051] Given the motor shaft angle θ m (as shown in (B)) and the effective gear diameters d1 to d5, the fingertip displacement can be described as follows:

[0052]

[0053] Motor torque τ m At the same time, it depends on the thumb force F t and finger force F f , is given by:

[0054]

[0055] If we assume that the same grip force F is applied to the thumb and fingertips, that is, F t =F f =F, we get:

[0056]

[0057] τ m The relationship between and F is used to calculate the motor torque required to simulate the hand-object interaction force.

[0058] Since the goal was a functional and believable rehabilitation or therapeutic game with rich tactile rendering, a 3D game using Figure 6 and Figure 7). The game is played on a computer screen (but could eventually also be played with another computer device, such as a smartphone or tablet) and is controlled using the sensorimotor hand therapy device 1 and an appropriate keyboard. Particular attention was paid to the creation of dynamic, tangible game elements with a wide range of (adjustable) tactile characteristics. Interaction with these game elements was simulated by implementing a virtual wall, which is a common practice for tactile devices. In order to consider the coupled movements of the thumb and fingertips, their combined displacement s and their velocity were first calculated. Defined as:

[0059] s=st+sf=r'θm (4a)

[0060]

[0061] Then the rendering force F is calculated in the rehabilitation game according to equation (5): r :

[0062]

[0063] The values ​​of parameters K and B represent the virtual spring and virtual viscous damping, which can be adjusted to present interactions with virtual objects with different dynamic characteristics. Parameter s0 represents the combined finger displacement s at the moment of touching the tangible object. By setting F = -F in equation (3) r , the required motor torque to achieve tactile interaction can be calculated.

[0064] As mentioned above, the transmission unit 11 is composed of three stages. In the first stage, the synchronous belt 12b causes a reduction ratio of 6:1 (d2: d1; Figure 5 (B)). The second and third stages are composed of the second herringbone gear member 14 and the first herringbone gear member 13, which are in a ratio of 3:1 (d4:d3; Figure 5 (B)) and the transmission ratio of 1:2 (d5:d3) couples the motion of the thumb and fingers, and from equation (1) we get i t =18 and i f = Total transmission ratio of 12.

[0065] The housing 5 and the components of the transmission unit 11 are made of polylactic acid (PLA) by 3D printing. It is found that a DC motor 10 with an integrated optical encoder (3272CR and IER3-4096, Faulhaber, Germany) with a continuous torque of 75 mNm meets the torque requirements. Given r t =34mm and r f= 41 mm, the maximum continuous force F = 14.1 N is obtained from equation (3). The motor 10 is placed inside the housing 5, resulting in a compact design that does not interfere with the bending movement of the housing 5 or the patient's hand. The guide grooves 18a, 18b in the base plate 18c mechanically limit the displacement of the housing end points of the thumb and finger to s respectively. t =20mm and s f = 36 mm, corresponding to an anatomical thumb and finger range of motion (RoM) of approximately [20, 53]° and [35, 85]°. The device is controlled by an ESP32 microcontroller (EspressifSystems, China) and an Escon Module 50 / 5 motor controller (Maxon, Switzerland) and communicates with a host PC via USB.

[0066] Figure 6 A screenshot of an exemplary virtual reality game according to the present invention is shown, in which liquid filling dispensers 21 are squeezed by hand avatars 22. The goal of the task is to fill a glass 23 appearing on the screen as quickly as possible by squeezing the appropriate dispenser 21 correctly, i.e. with a determined fingertip force. Different dispensers contain liquids 24 of different viscosities. The number and position of the dispensers 21 are adjustable, while only one glass 23 is visible at a time to help patients focus their attention more easily on the dispenser 21 to be used. Whenever a glass 23 is filled, a new glass will be generated under a different dispenser 21. The word "full!" seems to indicate that the glass is full. The dispensers 21 have different squeezing behaviors presented haptically by the device. This virtual reality hand therapy game combines all the necessary elements, i.e. low complexity, credibility and adaptability of virtual elements with different rich tactile features.

[0067] The hand therapy device 1 with squeeze-sensing motion can initiate grasping in a hand therapy game. When performing a grasping motion, the hand avatar 22 first moves forward and touches the dispenser 21. Once the hand avatar 22 surrounds the dispenser (displacement s=s0), the hand-object interaction force is simulated by the virtual wall using equation (5), that is, the user feels resistance as if the physical dispenser is grasped and squeezed. Therefore, visual and tactile information is perceived when interacting with the dispenser. In order to promote the use of rich and diverse somatosensory information, each liquid and each dispenser has different simulation properties, that is, a combination of different K and B values ​​(K=2N / mm, B=0.1Ns / mm). Therefore, each dispenser must be squeezed differently to fill the glass as quickly as possible, that is, different fingertip displacements and interaction forces are required.

[0068] like Figure 7As shown, if the dispenser 21 is squeezed too hard, only a small amount of fluid is released, resulting in a slow filling speed. However, when squeezed too hard, the dispenser 21 begins to splash and overflow the liquid into the glass 23. Every time the glass is full, the words "Full!" appear and the next cup appears. In order to move to a different dispenser 21, the hand must be opened, that is, the fingers are extended. Then the arrow keys on the keyboard are used to navigate to the different dispensers. The calculation of the virtual wall is performed in a 1kHz loop on the microcontroller. Numerical differentiation of continuous first-order low-pass filtering using an Euler backward discretization scheme is used to calculate the speed of the motor shaft. Via a USB connection, the finger displacement s calculated by equation (4) is sent to the host playing the hand therapy or rehabilitation game. The parameters K and B are then calculated and sent to the control unit 9.

[0069] The portable single-degree-of-freedom sensory motion hand therapy device 1 is based on a compliant shell design and is particularly suitable for unsupervised hand rehabilitation after stroke. The unique shell design, which is preferably composed of only one piece, can be used safely regardless of the size of the patient's hand. Its inherent safety comes from the lack of risk of pinching, the back-drivable transmission device, limited RoM and limited force. This potentially enables it to be applied in an unsupervised environment. By placing the motor 10 in the shell 5 and designing a space-saving transmission unit 11, we obtain a compact and portable device, which is conducive to training at the patient's home. Importantly, the device introduces improvements in providing tactile rendering to portable devices. This solution provides rich somatosensory input through simulated interaction with a variety of virtual tangible objects, rather than, for example, just tactile vibrations. The virtual reality hand therapy game provides a credible scenario and intuitive tasks. It is designed to encourage patients to explore the behavior of different dispensers through touch and use somatosensory feedback to perform tasks. Similar to systems based on real-time computers and independent hosts, the device of the present invention does not require real-time communication between the microcontroller and the host. An increase in the communication latency with the host only results in a delay in the updating of the parameters K and B, which impedes the quality of the simulated hand-object interaction but does not lead to instabilities. Although a particularly low transmission ratio has been provided to minimize reflected motor inertia and motor friction, mechanical transparency of the transmission can also be achieved (or even improved) by replacing the 3D printed gears with alternative low-friction solutions such as cable transmission.

[0070] This specification and the drawings illustrating various aspects and embodiments of the invention should not be considered as limitations on the claims defining the protected invention. In other words, although the invention has been described and described in detail using the drawings and examples in the foregoing description, such illustration and description are considered to be illustrative or exemplary rather than restrictive. Various mechanical, compositional, structural, electrical and operational changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the specification and claims. In some cases, in order not to obscure the invention, well-known circuits, structures and techniques are not shown in detail. Therefore, it should be understood that changes and modifications can be made by a person of ordinary skill within the scope and spirit of the appended claims. In particular, the present invention covers other embodiments having any combination of features from the different embodiments described above and below.

[0071] The present disclosure also covers all other features shown individually in the figures, even though they may not be described in the preceding or following description. Furthermore, individual alternatives of the embodiments described in the figures and the description and individual alternatives of their features may be abandoned from the subject matter of the present invention or the disclosed subject matter. The present disclosure includes subject matter consisting of the features defined in the claims or exemplary embodiments, as well as subject matter comprising said features.

[0072] Furthermore, in the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single unit or step may perform the functions of several features listed in the claims. The fact that certain measures are cited in mutually different dependent claims does not mean that the combination of these measures cannot be used advantageously. The terms "substantially", "approximately", "approximately", etc. related to attributes or values ​​particularly also precisely define the attributes or values, respectively. In the context of a given numerical value or range, the term "approximately" refers to a value or range within 20%, within 10%, within 5% or within 2% of a given value or range, for example. Components described as coupled or connected may be directly electrically or mechanically coupled, or they may be indirectly coupled via one or more intermediate components. Any figure marks in the claims should not be interpreted as limiting the scope.

[0073] The computer program may be stored / distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or solid-state medium provided with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems. In particular, for example, the computer program may be a computer program product stored on a computer-readable medium, which may have a computer executable program code suitable for being executed to implement a specific method, such as the method according to the present invention. Furthermore, the computer program may also be a data structure product or a signal to implement a specific method, such as the method according to the present invention.

[0074] List of reference numerals:

[0075] 1 Sensory-Motor Hand Therapy Device

[0076] 2U-shaped part

[0077] 3. First Leg

[0078] 3a First flexible portion

[0079] 4 Second Leg

[0080] 4a Second flexible portion

[0081] 5 Flexible housing

[0082] 6First reinforcement member (fingertip)

[0083] 7 Second reinforcement member (thumb)

[0084] 8Third reinforcement member

[0085] 9Control Unit

[0086] 10 Motor

[0087] 10a Motor shaft

[0088] 11 Transmission unit

[0089] 12a Pulley

[0090] 12b synchronous belt

[0091] 12c herringbone gear

[0092] 13 First herringbone gear member

[0093] 14 Second herringbone gear member

[0094] 15 First connecting member / rod

[0095] 16 Second connecting member / rod

[0096] 17 Finger Band

[0097] 18 Transmission box

[0098] 18 guide groove (curved)

[0099] 18b guide groove (curved)

[0100] 18c substrate

[0101] 19 Connecting components

[0102] 20Computer device screen

[0103] 21 Deformable Objects / Dispensers

[0104] 22 Hand Avatar

[0105] 23 Virtual Glass

[0106] 24 Virtual Liquid

[0107] d1 motor shaft diameter

[0108] d2 pulley diameter

[0109] d3 gear diameter

[0110] d4 diameter of the first herringbone gear component

[0111] d5 diameter of the second herringbone gear component

[0112] C t Thumb bend center point (second leg)

[0113] C f Finger tip flexion center (first leg)

[0114] F Grip

[0115] F t The force exerted by the thumb on the second reinforcement member

[0116] F f The force exerted by the fingertip on the first reinforcing member

[0117] r t Arc radius thumb (from C t to the second reinforcement member)

[0118] r f Arc radius fingertip (from C f to the first reinforcing member)

[0119] s t Thumb displacement (second reinforcement member)

[0120] s f Fingertip displacement (first reinforcement member)

Claims

1. A hand therapy device for perceiving movement (1) comprising: A flexible shell (5) having a first leg (3) configured to receive a finger of a patient's hand, a second leg (4) configured to receive a thumb of the patient, and a U-shaped portion (2) configured to receive a palm of the patient; a first reinforcing member (6) connected to a distal region of the first leg (3) of the housing (5); a second reinforcing member (7) connected to a distal region of the second leg (4) of the housing (5); a third reinforcing member (8) connected to and reinforcing the U-shaped portion (2) of the housing (5); and A motion mechanism (10, 11) which defines the motion routes and resistance of the first reinforcing member (6) and the second reinforcing member (7) relative to the third reinforcing member (8).

2. The sensory motion hand therapy device (1) according to claim 1, wherein: The movement mechanism (10, 11) includes a motor (10) to define the movement resistance of the first reinforcing member (6) and the second reinforcing member (7) relative to the third reinforcing member (8).

3. The sensory-motion hand therapy device (1) according to claim 2, comprising a control unit (9), wherein: The control unit (9) controls the motor (10) of the motion mechanism to define the motion resistance of the first reinforcing member (6) and the second reinforcing member (7) relative to the third reinforcing member (8) as a function of the displacement of the first reinforcing member (6) and the second reinforcing member (7) relative to the third reinforcing member.

4. The sensory motion hand therapy device according to claim 3, wherein: The control unit (9) controls the motor (10) including controlling the torque of the motor (10).

5. The sensory-motor hand therapy device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The motion mechanism (10, 11) comprises a multi-stage transmission unit (11) for transmitting the torque of the motor.

6. The sensory motion hand therapy device (1) according to claim 5, wherein: The transmission unit (11) comprises a first stage, a second stage and a third stage.

7. The sensory motion hand therapy device (1) according to claim 6, wherein: The first stage is in the form of a belt connection (12a, 12b, 10a), the second stage is in the form of a first herringbone gear member (13), and the third stage is in the form of a second herringbone gear member (14).

8. The sensory-motion hand therapy device (1) according to claim 7, wherein: The transmission unit (11) is connected to the first reinforcement member (6) via a first connection member (15) arranged on the first herringbone gear member (13), and is connected to the second reinforcement member (7) via a second connection member (16) arranged on the second herringbone gear member (14).

9. The sensory motion hand therapy device (1) according to claim 8, wherein: The first connecting member (15) and the second connecting member (16) are each in the form of a rod.

10. The sensory-motion hand therapy device (1) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein: The belt connection (12a, 12b, 10a) comprises a first pulley (12a), a motor shaft (10a) and a timing belt (12b), and wherein, preferably, the first pulley (12a) carries a herringbone gear (12c).

11. The sensory motion hand therapy device (1) according to claim 10, wherein: The first pulley (12a) is operably connected to the motor shaft (10a) via the timing belt (12b), wherein the second herringbone gear member (14) meshes with the herringbone gear (12c) on the first pulley (12a), and wherein the first herringbone gear member (13) meshes with the second herringbone gear member (14).

12. The sensory-motion hand therapy device (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 11, wherein: The shaft (10a) of the motor (10) has a first diameter (d1), the pulley (12a) has a second diameter (d2), the gear (12c) has a third diameter (d3), the first herringbone gear member (13) has a fourth diameter (d4), and the second herringbone gear member (14) has a fifth diameter (d5).

13. The sensory-motion hand therapy device (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 12, wherein: The control unit (9) includes a control unit for calculating the motor torque tao m The motor torque is a function of m The product of the relative radius (r') and the resistance (F) is comprised and defines the resistance to motion.

14. The sensory-motion hand therapy device (1) according to claim 13, wherein: The relative radius (r') includes the arc radius (r') of the second reinforcing member (7) of the housing (5). t ) divided by the total transmission ratio (i) associated with the second reinforcing member (7) of the flexible housing (5) t ) and the arc radius (r f ) divided by the total transmission ratio (i) associated with the first reinforcing member (6) of the housing (5) f ) 15. The sensory-motion hand therapy device (1) according to claim 14, wherein: The total transmission ratio (i) associated with the second reinforcing member (7) of the housing (5) t ) is between about 14 and about 22, preferably between about 16 and about 20, and further preferably about 18.

16. The sensory-motion hand therapy device (1) according to claim 14 or 15, wherein: The total transmission ratio (i) associated with the first reinforcing member (6) of the housing (5) f ) is between about 8 and about 16, preferably between about 10 and about 14, and further preferably about 12.

17. The sensory-motor hand therapy device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The housing (5) is configured to provide a physiological force grip for the hand of the patient.

18. A therapy system comprising a computer device (20) and a sensory-motor hand therapy device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, the computer device (20) being configured to execute a virtual reality hand therapy game thereon.

19. The therapeutic system of claim 18, wherein: The virtual reality hand therapy game is configured to be based on the displacement (s) and speed of the first reinforcement member (6) and the second reinforcement member (7). and preferably by further considering parameters representing virtual springs and virtual viscous damping to calculate the rendering force (F r ).

20. A method for training a patient's hand, comprising the steps of: A sensory-motion hand therapy device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 17 is provided; Providing a computer device (20) having a virtual reality hand therapy game installed thereon; performing a game task by means of a hand avatar (22) on the screen of the computer device (20), the task requiring application of a specific interaction force from the sensory-motor hand therapy device (1) via the hand avatar (22) to a virtual deformable object (21) on the screen of the computer device (20); and The virtual deformable object (21) is squeezed by the hand avatar (22) until a predetermined threshold of the specific interaction force is reached.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein: The virtual deformable object (21) comprises a dispenser filled with a virtual liquid (24), wherein the dispenser is configured to be squeezed to fill a virtual glass (23) arranged below the dispenser with the virtual liquid (24) until a maximum filling level is reached.

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