Gujarat: IIT-Gandhinagar alumni gamify hand physiotherapy

AHMEDABAD: A startup founded by alumni of IIT Gandhinagar (IIT-Gn) has developed a sensory glove to help patients with restricted finger and wrist movement to recover faster using virtual gamified exercises. The patient trials are being carried out successfully at the Government Spine Institute and Physiotherapy Collegeon Civil Hospital campus. Dr Chandan Kumar Jha, the founder of the startup incubated at IIT-Gn and inventor of the glove, said that the project aims to develop indigenous systems for the rehabilitation of patients with hand disabilities using virtual reality (VR) and robotic technologies. He started on the project a year ago by founding Galanto Innovations with IIT-Gn colleague Rupsha Mukherjee.

Currently, the team has developed two games: one based on popular jump-and-run arcade games with which the majority of the patients are familiar, and another where the patient has to squeeze lemons in a glass. The first game is designed to exercise the up and down movement of the wrist, while the second is aimed at imitating the squeezing movement to improve grip. Other games include flipping a chapati and gardening.

Mohd Zaid Rajput, 29, a resident of Bapunagar, is getting physiotherapy at the spine institute for his right hand which he injured after a fall. "I fractured my finger and wrist. Initially, I was not sure about therapy. Though once I started playing the games, I got so immersed that I did not realize that I was exercising. The game format hooked me, and motivated me to improve my previous score," he said.

Dr Yagna Shukla, principal of the Physiotherapy College, said that the technology has given encouraging results with patients' involvement in the process and scientific data on their improvement. "While the glove doesn't fully replace the conventional therapy methods, the glove augments it with reliable data," she said, adding that the use of technology would improve in the next few years. Jha said, "Compared to a few similar gloves for exercise available abroad, our product is much simpler to use and affordable. The games are calibrated to increase the difficulty level gradually."

Mumtaz Bano, 17, who sustained a severe hand injury in a road accident, had two fingers re-attached and had frozen thumb movement. "Being a mobile phone user, I quickly followed the format and liked the feedback system," she said.