Happy Touch is the name of a neuro-rehabilitation aid for post stroke patients. The tool was designed in 2012. The ideology behind the tool is to emotionally connect the user with the tool by a tactile experience. This to motivate the user to actively use the tool in every situation. To touch and engage with the tool could be from a bedside or sitting in a wheelchair. Research says that if you start exercising your hand and fingers right after an accident e.g. stroke – the chances for getting back to normal hand mobility will rise.
The initial thought behind the design is that textiles affects us positively as we are swept in them as born, we sleep in it and wears it most of our time. Culturally we use textiles in out home for decoration and for comfort. To design helping aids in textile – therefore taps into our behavior, and makes the human connection closer. Could a rehabilitation aid be personal? Happy Help aims to create helping aids based on these values!
