Josiah Rippetoe, Madeleine Foote, Sarah Brown
Focal vibration (FV), a technique in which targeted vibration is applied to specific muscles or muscle groups, represents an innovative strategy to enhance balance and motor control across different neurological diseases. Clinical and research evidences have shown satisfactory outcome of focal vibration as a useful tool in neurorehabilitation. However, many aspects of the commercial FV devices are unsatisfactory. Our product FoVi (A wearable focal vibration device provides adjustable precision vibration therapy) is a low-cost wearable FV device which can adjust the intensity settings of vibration motors that can easily attach to the body and can provide direct feedback to users. FoVi provides precision vibration by feedback control through the use of an attached accelerometer on the vibration motor. The control and feedback system is accomplished through the use of a smartphone app. A web portal then allows for the therapist to monitor and track the usage, and remotely adjust the dosage based on rehabilitation progress. Through the use of the web portal, the therapist can ensure that a patient is completing a specified regimen that they prescribed for the patient. The phone app displays and logs the current status of intensity for each motor and updates based on any changed settings. FoVi was designed so that it could be versatile as both a rehabilitative and an assistive device to deliver precision vibration therapy. Focal vibration can be used to increase range of motion, decrease pain, and decrease spasticity. FoVi can be used in the clinical, home, or community setting.
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