Man invents tremor-suppression technology to help people with Parkinson’s disease

Leo was inspired by the hand tremors he saw in the soldier in Vung Tau, Vietnam, where he grew up. These people struggled with Parkinson’s disease after being exposed to Agent Orange, a herbicide that was used by the USD during the Vietnam war.

“Of course, I didn’t know what was causing it. Later on, when I was growing up, I knew it was Parkinson’s because of the herbicide chemicals that they were exposed to”, the inventor explained. Coming from a background in vibration control, this led him, in 2014, to think of a solution.

“This is affecting people’s lives, their independence. They’re not really ill. They can still lift weight, it’s just that they cannot do fine movement anymore. That’s my goal, to help that”, the professor expressed.

So, in 2015, the Tremelo device, was developed, designed with the company Five Microns.

The invention is worn on a patient’s wrist, and works according to the vibration absorption method, treating and arm and hand a vibrating mass. There is also a secondary and smaller mass is attached to the patient with a pair of springs. The device then transfers the kinetic energy in the wrist to the small mass, reducing the tremor. This method is similar to the vibration absorption concept used by engineers for modern skyscrapers, suspension bridges and aircraft wings.

"It's a mass, a small mass; it will shake back and forth against the tremor motion. So pretending my hands are shaking with a tremor right now, it goes to the left, the mass will go to the right and vice versa. Always opposite, and there's a spring between the mass and hand," Leo observed.

The device is removable and can be personalised in order to meet the needs of each patient, with no side effects.
Using this invention, patients can perform their day-to-day tasks, such as drinking and eating, improving their quality of life while limiting the need for heavy doses of medication or medical procedures.

Some patients already tested the device.

New California ventures LLC has made a 450,000 USD investment into five microns. That's paid for a statewide study and allowed them to manufacture prototypes from a Fresno State facility.

The device will be on the market in 2019.

Adapted from: https://bit.ly/2EEPFDV
https://bit.ly/2TsM5r2
https://abc30.tv/2C7nzAO
https://bit.ly/2zQXtQN

More info: https://fivemicrons.com/