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The development of iHandU was a direct challenge from a neurology team that needed a device to objectively measure joint motion, like wrist rigidity in patients.
About
inSignals Neurotech presents iHandU, the first medical device designed to quantitatively measure rigidity in patients and that is being applied for the assessment of neuromuscular disorders, like Parkinson’s Disease. The design of this device was prompted by neurologists performing Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Surgery, who required an objective method to quantify rigidity improvement throughout the procedure, which is typically performed to suppress physical symptoms. iHandU is an ergonomic wearable device that can also become a tool to assess other motor symptoms in monitoring and telemedicine applications. This device's electronic component enables the collection of gyroscope, accelerometer, magnetometer, temperature, and force data, which once combined can provide useful information about the patient's movements. The ergonomic band allows the device to be worn in a range of areas on the human body, including the wrist, arm, knees, and ankles, and collect data on the movements of these joints. iHandU system has been in development for the last few years and has been tested in more than 120 patients during DBS. It has proved to correctly classify over 80% of the evaluated signals, against the subjective assessment of rigidity by physicians. Moreover, iHandU was also tested to assess the effects of drugs during the levodopa challenge test in Parkinson’s Disease patients. Currently, we are promoting an international multi-centre clinical study to validate the technology among leading physicians, with hospital centres from the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain, and establishing the first contacts with physicians from the US to accelerate the impact of iHandU on the health assessment of millions of patients worldwide.
Key Benefits
Rigidity assessment is not straightforward, to do so inSignals combined microelectronics, smart textiles and a novel algorithm to assess objectively this motor symptom. Besides the assessment of the rigidity in the patient’s movement, this device allows for the assessment of other movement characteristics. Tremor, bradykinesia and other abnormalities in the patient’s movement may be detected using this device. The rigidity assessment might be important in joint diseases, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or polymyalgia rheumatica. The use of this device to investigate joint disorders could be a key missing element in better understanding the motor symptoms associated with joint diseases and discovering new movement patterns that can be indicative of the joint condition.
Applications
This device was designed from a direct challenge from the neurology team at University Hospital de São João to have access to a device that characterizes objectively the rigidity experienced in patients with neurological diseases. . The device was tested aiding DBS therapy and assessing the effects of drugs during levodopa challenge test in Parkinson’s Disease. This device is intended to be used by patients and physicians as a tool for movement characterization, with the innovative characteristic of assessing rigidity. We are also performing R&D activities to use iHandU in other diseases, like Epilepsy, and look forward to collaborating with other healthcare partners to test our technology in joint movement disorders. iHandU can collect information for gyroscopes, force sensors, accelerometers which data may be analysed and studied to characterize other relevant factors for healthcare, like tremors or bradykinesia. Our goal is to classify joint symptoms and develop medical tools to better assess the disease and optimise patient treatments.