Monday  |  Salon 8  |  02:30 PM–02:50 PM

#16107, Parkinsonian Hand Tremor Mitigation with Enhanced Wearable Device

Parkinson’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disease affecting over eight million people globally. Among its symptoms is an involuntary rhythmic tremor in the body, that manifests in the hands. These hand tremors affect one’s ability to perform basic motor functions, often leading to frustration, social anxiety and isolation. Approaches to mitigating these tremors generally involve surgery and/or medications. Those approaches that are noninvasive are often still expensive and/or conspicuous. The goal of this research is to make a wearable, non-invasive, mechanical, passive device that can significantly diminish hand tremors. The effective device is targeted to large populations with low cost, ease of use and care, and adjustability for individual needs. The research builds from an ongoing study where a simplified proof of concept was established that reduced tremors in some instances by over 70%. In this study, nonlinear modeling theory and simulation has been introduced to optimize the range of effectiveness while reducing the size and weight of the device by more than 20%. Prototyping and testing has been performed on a mechanical test hand, and initial human subject testing shows quantifiable improvements in size, weight, and effectiveness.

Timothy Doughty   University of Portland
Zach Gerards   University of Portland
J. Gus Stucki   University of Portland