the neomano robotic glove powers people with hand paralysis

koreon start-up neofect has developed a ‘ robotic glove’ which can help patients suffering from paralysis. the product prototype, named neomano, is a ‘smart glove’ designed to help patients rehabilitate a hand after a stroke.

images courtesy of neofect

neomano is a wearable hand robot which helps spinal cord injury (SCI) patients do daily activities such as grabbing and picking up. SCI can cause weakness or complete loss of muscle function and loss of sensation in the body below the level of injury, among others.

to combat this, neomano gives people with paralysis or limited hand function the ability to grip objects with the press of a button. it uses a wireless, remote-controlled motor that contract the fingers so that the wearers can perform such functions as grabbing a glass of water, turning a doorknob, or using a toothbrush.

the grip becomes tighter the longer the button is held down and the glove lets go when the release button is pressed. when the glove needs to be cleaned, its magnetically-attached motor unit can be easily removed.

according to new atlas, neofect has successfully crowdfunded one batch of neomanos, which have been shipped to backers already. a second batch is now the subject of an indiegogo campaign, where a pledge of uUS599 is required for a single setup. if they reach production, they should ship in june. their planned retail price is $1,999.

project info

company: neofect
product: neomano
price: $1,999 (retail price)
status: prototype / crowdfunding (indiegogo)