Patent ID: 11877849
Assignee: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  G | IPC A  G

Claim 6:
7. A method to assess hand flexion from hypertonia or hand contraction, comprising:
(a) having a cylindrical or rectangular inflatable pillow with an internal air pressure of the entire internal air volume of the cylindrical or rectangular inflatable pillow, wherein the cylindrical or rectangular inflatable pillow is sized for a hand such that the fingers and the thumb of the hand can be wrapped around the pillow and simultaneously compress the pillow, wherein the cylindrical or rectangular inflatable pillow is further sized so that the fingers and thumb do not touch in a compression state or a non-compression state of the cylindrical or rectangular inflatable pillow, whereby the compression results in a change of the internal air pressure wherein the inflatable pillow has an air output connected to a flexible hollow tubing for allowing passage of the air;
(b) sensing the internal air pressure of the entire internal air volume of the cylindrical or rectangular inflatable pillow caused by the compression with an air pressure sensor, wherein the air pressure sensor is connected to the cylindrical or rectangular flexible hollow tubing allowing passage of the air to the air pressure sensor and as such connected to the cylindrical or rectangular inflatable pillow, and wherein the air pressure sensor by connection via the flexible hollow tubing is located at a distance and externally from the inflatable pillow;
(c) converting the sensed air pressure changes into therapeutic meaningful values; and
(d) displaying the therapeutic meaningful values.