Inspiration

Parkinson's and arthritis are growing diseases that affect many people, especially with an aging population. Though it often goes unnoticed, it greatly affects the lifestyle of the people who are affected by it. Thus, we aimed to create a solution that can help and relieve some of the difficulties that these people face.

What it does

The Glover uses electromagnetic technologies, combined with IMUs and EMGs with cable-driven joints, to reduce tremors in the user's hand, as well as assist them in gripping objects. Tremor Damping System Inertial Measurement Units and Electromyography Sensors detect tremors in the hand, then send signals to the electromagnetic actuator (positioned on the back of the hand) to create an electromagnetic field. The induced magnetic field exerts an opposing force on the magnets on the glove, thereby reducing the tremors in the hand. Grip Assist Accelerometers are placed along the inner side of the glove and are in contact with the object. The accelerometers detect the movement of the object, which indicates that it is slipping, which then tells the microprocessors to increase the grip on the object. Force sensors in contact with the hand (inside the glove) measure the force applied by the user and calculate how much additional force is needed to grip the object properly. The cables on the back of the hand will then assist in tightening the user's grip. Cable-Based Joint Mechanism The Cable mechanism acts as an exoskeleton that is not only cheap but also sustainable, as it is manufactured from recyclable materials like fishnets. The Cables rest on both the top and bottom of the user’s hand for relaxing and contracting the user’s grip, respectively. A Servo motor is also used to help tighten the user’s grip, while elastic bands on the top of the hand assist with relaxation. The use of recyclable elastic bands also means that high-strain parts of The Glover can be easily and cheaply replaced.

How we built it

The design drawing was made on Procreate, and the app was made on Figma. To align with our goals in circularity, The Glover will use as many recycled parts as possible and prevent excess waste. The glove will be made from recycled polyester, the strap from recycled plastic and the cables from recycled fishnets. Parts that will experience more stress or wear, such as the fingertip sensors, elastic bands, and cable mechanisms, are designed to be easily replaceable so that users will not have to purchase a whole new glove if one component is worn out.

Challenges we ran into

It was quite hard to find a way to prevent the tremors of Parkinson’s patients without restricting their movement. An issue we came across was finding a way to allow the wrist to be flexible when it is usually the root of the tremors. At first, we thought of attaching rods or a stiff material between the wrists and the back of the hand, but this would restrict movement too much. Therefore, we have used an electromagnetic actuator combined with IMUs and EMGs to stabilise the tremors without restricting intentional movement.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of the app that we made and how we managed to work so efficiently with no conflicts.

What we learned

We learned about musculoskeletal diseases, and how it affects your joints, bones and muscles. As this means they can struggle with daily tasks, we conducted research to find what current treatment methods were available. We looked into technologies that are typically used in medical practices and modified into a more compact device.

What's next for The Glover

The Glover can be connected to a smartwatch where t can give instant access to the glove’s settings. For example, changing grip strength, adjust tremor stabilisation, check battery levels, etc. These gloves can also be used on a wider target audience like researchers in extremely cold climates, where hand strength and dexterity naturally decrease, or industrial/manual worker, to reduce fatigue and assist with their grip strength.