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 forever changed. This project aims to create a rehabilitation hand tool that provides unexpected and stimulating haptic experiences for the user.
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 for ongoing physical hand and finger exercise. The project embraces the psychological and the emotional experience as much as the physical, celebrating tactile emotion by invoking joy and surprise when using the aids. These 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 sympathetic and human realm.
Would like to find out more about this as I have congenital hemiplegia and am always interested in products that are being developed…
Hi Joanna
Happy New year!
Thank you for your comment – it is exactly why this blog is created.
For the moment the design process of the product is documented on the blog. E.g there is no webpage.
The product is about going out for testing, among hemiplegic users – and I would love to send you some test material, if you are interested.
In return I would need you to document and send me your user testing feedback.
If you still are interested, please send me an email happy-help@live.dk and write me a little about yourself, age, daily difficulties, preferences in fabric or color etc.
I would love staying in contact!
Best
Trine