Hand rehabilitation glove

Abstract

A hand therapy system having a glove including a compressible substance coupled to a palm portion providing resistance to the closing motion of the hand and one or more elastic members spanning from the compressible substance to respective ones of one or more finger portions, the one or more elastic members provide resistance to the opening of the hand. Also included are a means for providing a signal proportional to the movement of the digits of the hand while opening and closing and a means for providing a signal proportional to the pressure applied by one or more of the digits of the hand on the compressible substance. A controller is coupled to the means for providing a signal proportional to the movement and the means for providing a signal proportional to the pressure and also a computer coupled to the controller via a computer link.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A hand therapy system comprising: 
 a glove including: 
 a compressible substance coupled to a palm portion for providing resistance to the closing motion of the hand;  
 one or more elastic members spanning from the compressible substance to respective ones of one or more finger portions, wherein the one or more elastic members provide resistance to the opening of the hand;  
 means for providing a signal representing the displacement of the digits of the hand while opening and closing the hand; and  
 means for providing a signal representing the force applied by one or more of the digits of the hand on the compressible substance;  
   a controller coupled to the means for providing a signal representing the movement and the means for providing a signal representing the force; and    a computer coupled to the controller via a computer link.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising means for providing a signal representing the temperature changes of the hand during use of the glove coupled to said controller.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said computer link comprises an internet link.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said controller comprises: 
 a feedback controller coupled to an input/output module;  
 the input/output module coupled to said means for providing a signal proportional to the movement and said means for providing a signal proportional to the force.  
 
     
     
         5 . A method of hand therapy comprising: 
 providing a glove including: 
 a compressible substance coupled to a palm portion for providing resistance to the closing motion of the hand;  
 one or more elastic members spanning from the compressible substance to respective ones of one or more finger portions, wherein the one or more elastic members provide resistance to the opening of the hand;  
   providing a signal representing an estimate of the displacement of one or more digits of a hand during opening and closing of the hand; and    providing a signal representing an estimate of the force exerted on a compressible substance by the one or more digits during the closing of the hand.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising providing a signal representing an estimate of the temperature change of the users hand during use of said glove.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising translating said signal representing said estimate of the displacement and said signal representing said estimate of the force into said estimate of the displacement and said estimate of the force.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising transmitting said estimate of said displacement and said estimate of said force to a computer via a computer link.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said computer link comprises an internet link, wherein a user of said computer can be used to monitor said estimate of said displacement and said estimate of said force.