1. “Durable product designs that exceed expectations for the commercial and medical marketplace.”
Hand-Opening Assistive Device (HOAD) Research Group
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Edward M. Land, JHU Engineering Research Faculty Member & PI
Designed by Seung (Jack) Jung
Background
• HOAD Research was charted in August 2006 as an
engineering teaching and mentoring enterprise. HOAD’s
charter was to develop a hand extension, flexion orthotic
(glove-like) appliance capable of opening the closed fist of
a stroke victim or other neurologically injured patient
unable to open their affected hand. The heart and soul of
this team is vested in the support from volunteer and
credit-seeking JHU multi-disciplined research assistants
(RAs).
Requirements
• Advanced Computer Aided Design (CAD), Adobe,
InkScape, and/or programming experience.
• Superior biomechanics, component assembly, and
mechanical engineering aptitude is a must.
• Willingness to collaborate, engage in peer-review, and
support in-lab activities.
• Mandatory four page publication ready, term paper on a
pre-approved topic that supports HOAD ‘Inventioneering’.
Goals and Constraints
Proposed Solutions
Battery-Driven
Microprocessors,
actuators, and glove-
like retainer restores
partial use of
patient’s hand.
Passive (Assistive)
Delivers purely
mechanical counter-
forces to comfortably
reopen a patient’s
hand.
FDA Class I Device
Limb orthosis is
intended for medical
purposes defined as:
non-invasive,
functional
improvements.
Ideal Hand, Passive Assistive Device
Clinical Opportunities
Scope
• ~795,000 suffer new or recurrent stoke injury annually.
• ~220,000 of whom lack the ability to volitionally reopen
their affected hand post-stroke.
• Inability to open one’s hand precludes functional use of
fingers, thumb and wrist.
• Individuals, as a direct consequence, are unable to
perform Activities of Daily Living with their affected limb.
Prior Art Shortcomings
Impractical
Prone to Failure
Complicated
Intrusive Metal
Cables
Cumbersome
Exoskeleton
Complex
Manufacturing,
Cleaning, and
Use
Restricted
Movement/
Limited Mobility
Painful
Readjustment
‘Inventioneering’ Projects
Competitive Hand Assistive Devices
• Washable,
rehabilitation
Class I device.
• Full range-of-
motion.
• Worn during
daily activities.
• Customizable
and easily
maintained.
• Utilizes shared
components.
• Developing technology
and processes that are
market driven.
• Broaden opportunity for
RAs to choose what
projects interest them.
• Licensing available.
Goals Constraints
Increase Ease of Use Low-Profile
Improve Efficacy Versatile/Flexible
Maximize Patient Comfort Durable
USPTO Issued Patents
Patent rights owned by HOAD Research Group
• US Patent 8348810: Low profile hand-extension/flexion device
(Original)
• US Patent 8678980: Low profile hand-extension/flexion device
(Divisional)
• US Patent 8652076: Active hand-extension/flexion device
(Method)
HOAD Research Group
Needs Statement
• Provide an assistive device to patient populations that
have lost their ability to reopen a partially paralyzed,
clenched fist. Provide a simple, convenient, mechanically
robust orthosis that allows opening and/or closing of the
patient’s affected hand.
Assignments
• RAs either work in leadership building roles or as a
member of 2 to 3-person teams of their choosing.
• Research consists of carefully identifying, through in-depth
research, if the group’s proposed medical or non-medical
appliance satisfies an unmet need, represents a significant
improvement over an existing product/standard of care,
and if a potential market exists to support such a venture,
before work on a project begins.
• RAs need to identify all related prior art, mechanical CAD
models, related videos, and work on grant funding and
other fundraising opportunities that can realistically be
accomplished before the semester’s due date.