Essential tremors (ET) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are two of the most common movement disorders, each affecting over ten million people worldwide. Hand tremor is one of the most recognisable and troublesome symptoms, involving rhythmic or semi-rhythmic oscillations of the hand, usually in the 3-12 Hz frequency range. It leads to difficulty in performing routine tasks such as eating, drinking, writing, etc., causing social embarrassment. Presently, no permanent treatment is available to stop the progression of these disorders. Medication and surgery are highly dependent on the individual and may provide only temporary relief with probable side effects.

A device capable of suppressing hand tremors may hence be a better alternative. In the past decade, there have been a few developments in this avenue with products such as the GyroGlove – a gyroscope that conserves angular momentum to stay upright in any plane of motion; the Steadi-One Glove – a battery-free glove using a non-newtonian fluid that stiffens instantly in the presence of tremors to provide an equal and opposite force while allowing voluntary motion; the Cala Trio – a wrist-worn device calibrated to provide peripheral nerve stimulation to interrupt tremors.

The existing products, being in the early developmental stages, are not affordable to the average person. CMDE Labs is currently working on an economical mechanical device to dampen hand tremors to improve the quality of life of those afflicted with the aforementioned movement disorders.

GyroGlove