An apparatus for improving upper limb function by engaging synchronous tongue motion

Studies of neuroplasticity indicate that areas of the brain not injured by stroke are able to reorganize neural pathways when actively engaged. We have combined two advanced technologies, a robotic hand therapy device and a control system driven by tongue movements, to determine the effects of the wearable Tongue Drive System paired with the Hand Mentor therapeutic robot (TDS-HM) on improving upper extremity motor functions in stroke survivors with severe hemiparesis. For this pilot study, a TDS-HM prototype was constructed and evaluated by three able-bodied subjects with a set of graphical user interfaces. The tongue movements were translated to wrist motion based on three control modes: discrete (CDC), semi-proportional (DPC), and proportional (RPC). Preliminary results showed that the TDS-HM worked reliably with all three control modes, and three healthy subjects showed average RMS deviations of 7.09 ± 1.09, 6.19 ± 1.41, and 7.06 ± 1.78 degrees from a given sinusoidal target path in these modes, respectively. They also played three flash games using the TDS-HM in the three control modes, and achieved on average, 59.4% of their scores when using keypad and mouse.