Scientists, including those of
Indian origin, have developed a ‘smart glove' with sensors that can help
doctors accurately rate muscle stiffness in patients with cerebral palsy or
stroke, and accordingly prescribe the right dosage of medication.
Since there is no foolproof way to objectively rate muscle stiffness,
these patients often receive doses of medication that are too low or too high.
“Our goal is to create a system that could augment existing medical procedures
by providing a consistent, objective rating,” said Harinath Garudadri, a
research scientist at the University of California San Diego in the US.
“Many clinical exams and procedures are very subjective and
rely on measurements that are done with a physician's hands,” said Andrew
Skalsky, from the Rady Children's Hospital in the US.
The device is built on
a regular sports glove that a doctor can wear while holding and moving a
patient's limb back and forth.Taped onto the palm are more than 300 pressure
sensors that measure the amount of force required to move a patient's limb. A
motion sensor taped on the back measures how fast the limb is being moved.
The glove is connected
to a computer via USB. Data from all the sensors are transmitted to the
computer, where they are integrated, processed and mapped in real time using
advanced signal processing algorithms.
The computer provides a numerical reading that calculates the actual
power required to move a patient's limb - the more power needed, the more
severe the patient's spasticity.
“We often make major medical decisions and diagnoses based on
touch and feel. With this technology, we can start to develop objective
measurements for subjective processes,” said Garudadri. The level of muscle
stiffness, known as spasticity, is typically evaluated using a six-point rating
scale called the Modified Ashworth Scale.
This scale is the current hospital standard, but it is
subjective and often yields ratings that vary. These ratings help dictate the
dose of medication patients are prescribed to manage their spasticity.
Inaccurate ratings can either lead to dangerous overdose or ineffective
treatment as a result of doses that are too low.
Source: DNA-24th April,2017
