23 January 2009
Back in November when I was getting really worried about by weakening hands and wondering how on earth I would manage to operate my artificial urinary sphincter, I dreamt up the idea of a bionic glove. The purpose on this glove would be to give me a ‘grasp’ once the strength has gone from my hands.
Pursuing this idea, I contacted a medical professor in Cambridge but he was more in the experimental medicine field than robotics. He suggested I tried the Bath Institute of Medical and Engineering but here again this wasn’t quite their scene. However, the director of operations was very helpful and mentioned the name of a professor at Washington University, USA, who is apparently the world expert in exo-skeletons.
It took me a couple of months to contact this professor personally but once I did she expressed a degree of interest. She has undertaken to put the idea to one of the non-profit sponsors, hopefully within the next few days. If she gets a positive response then hopefully she will do attempt to develope something for me quite quickly, knowing that I’m living on borrowed time with my hands.
Because everyone’s hands are different and she was concerned about the glove fitting properly, I scanned, back and front of both hands and e-mailed the pictures to her. I think he was amused at this rather unorthodox form of communication.
I am holding my breath for a positive result as this could be a very exciting development which will not only help me but others with medical conditions which result in weak hands.