Essential tremor is one of the most common movement disorders. As hands shake uncontrollably, even sharing a meal with friends and family can become difficult. Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a spoon that helps to cancel out the effects of the tremor while eating. The spoon, developed by Lift Labs, uses small electronic sensors to detect small movements caused by tremor, and then it responds to cancel out those movements. In a new study in the journal Movement Disorders, the researchers found that the new spoon (pictured) helped the participants hold the spoon steady and improved their ability to get food from a bowl to their mouths. Given that medications dont help everyone and only a few patients qualify for surgery, the researchers hope that the new spoon and other devices like it will improve quality of life in individuals with essential tremor. Read more: buff.ly/OMJ7I3 Journal article: A noninvasive handheld assistive device to accommodate essential tremor: A pilot study. Movement Disorders, 2014. DOI: 10.1002/mds.25796 Image credit: Lift Labs
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 01:00:19 +0000