Putting on a coat may not seem like a large achievement, but new technology that could help stroke patients do just that makes the act an attainable goal.
University of Idaho’s Eric Wolbrecht, mechanical engineering assistant professor, is developing a robotic hand exoskeleton to help stroke patients regain some mobility after suffering from a stoke
“We’re talking about small changes so they can get some functionality back,” says Wolbrecht. “But even that small improvement can mean a lot to someone.”
Wolbrecht earned a $380,000, 5-year grant for the University of Idaho as part of a larger grant from the National Institute of Health. He is working with a professor and doctor at University of California Irvine and a professor with Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech in Spain on a larger scale project to study robotic hand therapy for persons who have suffered a stroke.
