I-Corps: Electronic Grip Gauge

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a device to assess and rehabilitate fine sensorimotor hand function. After a neuromuscular injury, patients often struggle with handling and manipulating fragile objects due to motor and sensory deficits of the hand. While existing occupational-therapy and physical-therapy devices focus primarily on gross upper-limb function, this project introduces a device capable of monitoring fine sensorimotor function of the hand, as would be used when gently grabbing a fragile object. The device is simple, portable, and inexpensive, allowing it to be seamlessly integrated into inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing facilities, and home-health workflows. The occupational and physical therapy market is expected to grow from $53.08 billion in 2023 to $92.38 billion by 2030 as the US population ages and the prevalence of neuromuscular injuries increases. Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the US, and this project offers a solution to assess and rehabilitate the fine sensorimotor function of stroke survivors. This I-Corps project is based on the development of a handheld device with embedded sensors and artificial intelligence to quantify fine sensorimotor hand function. Patients can use this device to simulate gently grasping a fragile object without breaking it. The embedded sensors allow for automated assessments and rehabilitation sessions, thereby reducing the demand on therapists. Task difficulty can also be automatically updated in real-time to maximize patient engagement and clinical outcomes. Quantitative health metrics are calculated and displayed in real-time to improve diagnostic accuracy and interrater reliability. The integration of these features into a simple, inexpensive and miniature formfactor offers a practical device for assessing and rehabilitating fine sensorimotor hand function. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.