Bioservo Technologies AB (publ) launched brand new assistive aid for people with impaired hand function The brand new grip-strengthening glove Carbonhand, makes these activities in daily living possible for millions of people living with a weak grip or impaired hand function. Carbonhand® is an assistive aid in the form of a grip-strengthening glove with pressure sensors in the fingers that sense when the user needs support. When the user initiates a grip, the pressure sensors react and artificial tendons add the necessary force.

In addition to the glove itself, Carbonhand consists of a small power unit that distributes the power as required. It can be worn on the back, around the waist or in a bag, making it easy to carry around. Through the sophisticated control system, the functionality of the glove can be customized to the user's individual need.

The impact of Carbonhand is immediate. With an applied force of up to 20 Newtons (N) per finger, a large proportion of patients with reduced grip strength can regain the majority of their hand function and resume activities and household chores. The user may suffer hand impairment due to stroke, peripheral nerve damage, brachial plexus injury, traumatic injuries, spinal cord injuries or weakness due to age.

Earlier versions of Carbonhand have been used as an assistive aid around the world for the past nine years. Close to 200 patients have been involved in several studies, using Carbonhand either as an assistive aid, as a tool for rehabilitation or being part of a control group receiving standard of care. The overall results after 4-12 weeks of Carbonhand use are improved both grip strength and hand function and that the users experiences an improved quality of life.

Carbonhand uses a power unit with strong and fast motors in order to support in a wide variety of situations and most users. The glove is designed to easily be worn by people with different shapes of their hands, has six different sensors and a control system that makes sure that the glove can be customized to fit the individual needs of the user. For the users with extremely weak grip, the glove can also be activated by an external activation button.

With a smartphone or tablet app, both clinicians and users can adjust the settings and create profiles to support the user in the best way possible. For instance, the user may require more support during leisure activities and less support during less intense activities of daily living, and it is easy to change between the profiles with a button on the glove. In the app, the user can also monitor its own usage of the hand, such as the number of performed grips and how much Carbonhand support during daily living.