Hand Hemiplegia is a common condition resulting from a stroke whereby hand mobility is greatly reduced. Early muscle activation is critical for good recovery. Unsuccessful hand rehabilitation leads to a loss of independence and normality is changed forever.
Happy Touch® aims to create a rehabilitation hand tool that provides unexpected and stimulating haptic experiences for the user. Happy Touch® is the first launch of a Happy Help® product.
The concept of Happy Help® is to use textiles to generate tactile emotion and address comfort and physical disability. A variety of materials are researched experimenting with grip and textures to enhance existing sensation achievement for ongoing physical hand and finger exercise. The product launch embraces the psychological and emotional experience as much as the physical, celebrating tactile emotion by invoking joy and surprise when using the tools. These aids are designed to be attractive, motivating and playful, desirable also to those without a specific physical need.
Happy Help® aims to bring designing for need into a much more joyful, sympathetic and human realm.
