stroke refers to a stroke which occurs due to the interruption of blood flow in a certain area of the brain, resulting in the loss of the abilities controlled by that specific area, including the senses. It’s usually a pretty serious problem.
However, a team of scientists from the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom took on the task of creating a device with the purpose of help stroke survivors to recover the senses affected by this situation.
At the time of being put into operation, the device generates slight vibrations which are transmitted to the fingertips, in order to activate brain cells and restore the sensitivity of limbs that have been affected by the stroke.
According to the experts, the device created by the researchers could be very useful to significantly improve the quality of all those who have survived strokes.
In that sense, the biomedical engineer and neuroscientist who developed the device, Dr. Amit Pujari, expressed:
The improved tactile sensation should lead them to be able to perceive that they are being held by the hand.
It is worth mentioning that the vibrations are propagated through the fingertips in the form of «random noise» and not regular frequencies. According to Dr. Pujari, this allows the network of nerves affected by the stroke it becomes more sensitive to normal tactile sensations.
It is remarkable how incredibly soft these vibrations are, being imperceptible in people with normal sensitivity, while for those affected by stroke they can be difficult to perceive.
All this is part of a study that is being financed by the Royal Academy of Engineering, in conjunction with other public research organizations.
As for stroke, this is attributed a high mortality rate. In the case of survivors, they may be left with loss of vision or speechas well as paralysis and confusion.
According to data published by the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that around 15 million people in the world suffer a stroke. Of these 5 million die, while the rest may be left with consequences that keep them permanently disabled.
As for the device, Pujari mentions that the results look promising, and that these will soon be published in specialized journals.
Likewise, he indicated that more trials are required to determine the time that the device should be used to demonstrate its benefits.
