Making tactile feedback gloves, Polytechnic students won first prize in Young Innovation 2024

Gloves are capable of accurately measuring the movement of each finger and palm, supporting physical therapy and rehabilitation.

DNA Mechatronics team demonstrates rehabilitation gloves at the 2024 Young Innovation finals - Photo: NGUYEN BAO

Surpassing 80 ideas from 400 students from 15 universities, the DNA Mechatronics team of Hanoi University of Science and Technology (including Mai Ba Nghia, Tang Hoang Duc and Le Duc Anh, students of K66 School of Mechanical Engineering) entered the final round of the 2024 Young Innovation Competition and won first prize with a rehabilitation system using virtual reality technology.

Making gloves from your own hardships

Sharing at the final round of the 2024 Young Creativity Competition, Mai Ba Nghia said that according to statistics from the Ministry of Health, there are currently about 2 million people with impaired motor function in the world. In Vietnam alone, the number of people with impaired motor function accounts for 7%.

In Vietnam, out of 40,000 people, only 1 person works in the field of rehabilitation. Patients still have difficulty accessing rehabilitation and lack motivation to exercise.

As a result, approximately 80% of people have unmet rehabilitation needs.

"I am also among the 7% of people with impaired motor function due to a traffic accident 11 years ago. Up to now, my left hand still cannot perform daily activities like normal people.

Understanding and sympathizing with the pain of patients, seeing the above difficulties, our DNA Mechatronics group was born," said Ba Nghia.

Restoring mobility to the arms

Tactile feedback gloves can accurately measure the movement of each finger and palm - Photo: NGUYEN BAO

According to Ba Nghia, the DNA Mechatronics group had the idea for the project 5 months ago and completed the product in 3 months.

The rehabilitation system product using virtual reality technology consists of 2 parts: hardware including 1 tactile feedback glove and 1 virtual reality glasses, software is a virtual environment built on Unity software.

With current sensor technology, tactile feedback gloves are capable of accurately measuring the movements of each finger and palm, opening up a new approach in physical therapy and rehabilitation training.

Real-time data analysis helps patients and professionals track recovery progress and plan next exercises.

"This project is not only for treatment centers but also suitable for home use, helping patients reduce the burden of human resources, the exercises are designed individually to suit each patient.

Currently, similar products are rare or non-existent in the Vietnamese market, so this product promises a lot of potential in the present and the future. The group plans to price it at around 4 million VND/product (including gloves, sensors and software)," said Ba Nghia.

Three boys from DNA Mechatronics group won first prize in the 2024 Young Innovation Competition - Photo: NVCC

Sharing about the product research and development process, Tang Hoang Duc said that this is a new topic, there are not many reference documents, the whole team had to start from scratch, both creative and ensuring practical application.

"The most memorable memories for the team were the times we ran to meet the deadline to meet the competition schedule. There were times when the product seemed to be 'failed' right before the deadline. But thanks to our tireless efforts and a little luck, the whole team was able to overcome it in time," Hoang Duc shared.

After winning first prize at the 2024 Young Innovators competition, the DNA Mechatronics team said it will continue to develop and expand the product's features and commercialize it.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/che-tao-gang-tay-phan-hoi-xuc-giac-sinh-vien-bach-khoa-gianh-giai-nhat-sang-tao-tre-2024-20241228164923365.htm