Tag: hand movement
Rewiring of nerves gives movement to paralyzed arms and hands
Researchers from Australia have successfully “rewired” the nerves within the paralyzed arms of some accident survivors and provided them with successful movement of arms and hands.
The results of the study titled, “Expanding traditional tendon-based techniques with nerve transfers for the restoration of upper limb function in tetraplegia: a prospective case series”, were published in the latest issue of the Lancet.
Transforming Thoughts to Movement Offers New Hope for Spinal Cord Injury Patients
What if paralyzed limbs could move using only the power of one’s thoughts? Borrowing a story line from the realm of science fiction, a team of researchers at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis—together with neurosurgeons and biomedical engineers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine—are using a brain-machine interface to make this once seemingly impossible feat a reality for victims of spinal cord injury (SCI). Seeking innovative ways to restore function after SCI is one of the central goals for The Miami Project, which was founded in 1985 and has grown to become one of the “crown jewels” of the Miller School of Medicine—and a model for other institutions developing centers for SCI research.
Hand Function after Spinal Cord Injury
https://youtu.be/nGU3dAMlXCg
Learn how three people with tetraplegia (quadriplegia) have improved their hand function and increased their independence through a combination of techniques, exercises and tools.
Gene therapy restores hand function after spinal cord injury in rats
Researchers at King’s College London and the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience have shown that rats with spinal cord injuries can re-learn skilled hand movements after being treated with a gene therapy.
This hand exoskeleton for people with paralysis can be controlled by brainwaves
People with limited mobility or paralysis could be able to use their hands again thanks to a robotic exoskeleton which can be controlled by brainwaves.
The lightweight and portable devices are being developed in the Geneva lab of Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) and can restore functional grasps for those with physical impairments.
It is hoped that refined versions of the kit will allow people to complete meaningful daily tasks.
Gloves for Life
These unique push gloves are designed to help quadriplegics and others with limited dexterity by making it more efficient and less strenuous to maneuver wheelchairs and to aid in daily tasks such as transfers and dressing.
The gloves help the user become more independent thus improving their quality of life. The combination of quality suede, a “tacky” palm insert, and an easy on and off closure make them a valuable resource.
Man with quadriplegia employs injury bridging technologies to move again—just by thinking
First recipient of implanted brain-recording and muscle-stimulating systems reanimates limb that had been stilled for eight years.
Brain-computer interface advance allows fast, accurate typing by people with paralysis
In a Stanford-led research report, three participants with movement impairment controlled an onscreen cursor simply by imagining their own hand movements.
A clinical research publication led by Stanford University investigators has demonstrated that a brain-to-computer hookup can enable people with paralysis to type via direct brain control at the highest speeds and accuracy levels reported to date.
The mind-reading robotic hand that lets quadriplegic people grasp everyday objects
Scientists have developed a robotic interface which could help to restore fine hand movements in paraplegics.
By combining an electrode cap with an exoskeleton worn over the fingers, the device translates brain signals to hand movements.
The approach could provide paraplegic patients with the fine motor control needed to carry out everyday tasks such as eating, drinking and signing documents.
Tendon Transfer Should Be Used More Often in Tetraplegia
Tendon transfer can significantly improve hand and elbow function in quadriplegic patients, but the procedure is greatly underused, according to a new study.
A review of studies by hand surgeon Professor Michael Bednar, MD, of Loyola Medicine (Maywood, IL, USA) found that an estimated 65-75% of patients with cervical spinal cord injuries could benefit from upper extremity tendon transfer surgery, but only 14% of patients actually complete the procedure. Tendon transfer surgically redirects functional muscles to do the work of muscles that are paralyzed. Depending on the extent of the spinal cord injury, tendon transfers can enable a patient to grasp objects, pinch, open the hand, and straighten the elbow.
