Flint Rehabilitation Launches Music-Based Hand Physical Therapy Device

Irvine, Calif., medtech start-up Flint Rehabilitation Devices on Thursday launched its first product, the MusicGlove. The Class I hand rehabilitation device uses music and games to help victims of stroke and other neurological and muscular injuries regain independence via a fun and motivating therapy regimen, the company says.

According to Flint, the portable MusicGlove significantly restores hand function in just two weeks. Benefits, compared with traditional physical therapy, include increased attention span, higher neuropsychological scores and cognitive functioning, the company adds.

A sensor in the glove tracks hand movements as the user plays a therapy-based game, while music notes, timed to the rhythm of upbeat songs, scroll across a display screen. The movements, such as a key pinch grip and pincer grasp, are vital to regaining the use of the hand, Flint says.

Company President Nizan Friedman says that due to the highly repetitive music, people using MusicGlove typically complete over 2,000 movements in a 45-minute session.

Dan Zondervan, co-founder and vice president, tells Device Daily Bulletin that the company plans to add more games and therapies to MusicGlove and develop movement-sensing technologies for other body parts.

MusicGlove includes a dedicated 10-inch tablet for the home version or a 21-inch monitor for the clinic version. The glove, custom headphones, all connection cables and a user manual are included with the device, available on the company’s website. — Kellen Owings

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