Neuro empathy - a self physiotherapy device for stroke patients

Abstract

World Health Organization’s stats shows that 15 million people worldwide suffer stroke each year, of which five million are left permanently disabled due to lack of physiotherapy. These precious lives can be saved since stroke is curable. However, self-physiotherapy devices are not readily available in the market. The project, Neuro Empathy, presents a wearable device that can help stroke patients perform self-physiotherapy and enables them to perform routine work by removing the barrier of disability. Our project makes use of a novel technique called Functional Electric Stimulation (FES). The project includes an EMG circuit to acquire the EMG (Electromyography) signals and a FES Stimulator that artificially generates body movements. Our device can help paralyzed patients retrain voluntary motor functions such as grasping and reaching by promoting neuroplasticity (rewiring of brain). These activities help the brain to reorganize itself, both in structure and how it functions overtime by forming new neural connections throughout the life.