eSight works for low vision patients, with visual impairements, by restoring their vision and allowing them to perform all sorts of daily tasks.

“It is a wearable device, hands-free headset with a small, high-speed camera that captures everything the eSight user is looking at. The captured live video stream is instantly sent to a powerful computer that uses proprietary software to process each pixel of video captured by the camera.

The device consists of a triped Manfrotto 492, Apple Magic Trackpad and a board tripod adaptation, which allows her to work using her nose or lips.

“I started noticing a slight tingling sensation in my fingers. Within a matter of days my left arm started cramping, my thumb started twitching and I lost all strength in my fingers so I was forced to switch the mouse over to my left hand”, the designer explained.
All of Michelle’s work and hobbies required the use of her arms. And she refused to stay so long without using them, so she started looking for options.

So Joke and Olivier, with the help of two occupational therapists, created an office chair for Zurab. They used a bicycle wheel that they have lined rubber bands. Placed on the ground, the bike wheel half blocks the seat when the wheels are facing the rubber bands. The students have also worked to establish a system of easily handles to lift the brake system, freeing the seat.

Zurab wanted an office chair, but there was nothing on the market that was adapted to his needs, and that could be customized.

The assistive device provided by the hospital was produced by an American manufacturer but was not satisfying this young and small patient’s needs. The walker was too large to be used inside the house, and was not equipped with swivel wheels, and had two feet in the rear.

These two feet made the tool very unwieldy for a small child with stability problems.

The innovation - Rapael Smart Glove - consists of a wearable that connects with several software exercises that stimulate the user to recover their hands’ movements in a more fun way.

Rapael Smart Glove helps the user to do things such as to pick up a glass of water ou play with the boy – in real life, or using vídeo simulation.

The system monitors the movements, adjusting the tasks to the user’s neuroplasticity.

Valérie was also diagnosed, in 2012, with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, hypermobility type, a genetic disease that is characterized by loose joints and chronic joint pain

“I am a person with a herniated crippling hernia since 2007, a
always gradual decrease my mobility requires me to find tips for
help me in everyday life. And since November 2012, I learned that I
suffer from a genetic disease, Ehlers Danlos syndrome, a disease
that reaches the connective tissues and debilitating”, Valérie explained.

Andrew had always struggled with playing the drums. “I wrapped Scotch tape around it. But you know, scotch tape is not going to last very long", the teen said.

Music classes were challenging for these students, so their music teacher, who heard about the potential of 3D printing, spoke with Brad Fessler, Nicholas’ tech teacher, asking for help.

“I had to get the idea of what to make. But the rest of it was just editing the idea and finding out what works”, the inventor explained.

Before the accident, Siegfried was training to be a cook. Being now visually impaired, he now faces new challenges. According to the inventors, his biggest problems were:
“- Detecting where every kitchen utensil is located (works very slowly)
- Seeing both dark and light vegetables on the same cutting board (can't cut them)
- Seeing where the cutting board ends (wastes food because they get dropped)”.

The stick is made with recycled material from a bicycle, using the brakes, so he can adjust the stick in two different positions. This way, Gerard can pull weeds and collect the plants without having to bend down.

"With this clip it is possible to directly remove the weeds from the soil. I can plant a line of 60 chicory plants without having to bend down", the inventor explained.

Gerard, who is an innovator at heart, is always looking to find new solutions to help him and his family and friends, and in 2015 he received by Handicap International for his gardening tool.

This solution is very cheap and easy to make. It consists of a wooden broom stick, with a can attached at an 45º angle, lined with cotton, so that the eggs don’t break.

“The cotton helps me to avoid doing an early omelette”, Ann joked.

Adapted from: http://www.handicapinternational.be/fr/inventions/ramasse-oeufs

What about you, do you have any solutions? Please share them with the Patient Innovation community!

The ophthalmologist told Yoeri that he has to wear glasses all day but, moving in a wheelchair, Yoeri has problems wearing them because of knocking the glasses against the headrest of the wheelchair, and because he also has spasms.

So the students developed the Anti-tilt glasses: Spectacles designed so that the user can't bump their glasses into something. The glasses automatically reposition themselves after the bump so it's almost impossible that they get tilted.

The tool consists of an extendible stick, with a soft handle and two hooks. The first one for in the wheel, the other one for in the door handle. It automatically assumes the correct length by the spring system inside.

“So I ended up talking to my grandmother. After some observation, I learned that getting out of a car is not always that simple for elderly. Many people have trouble getting out. The car is too low, the handles are too small... I often see people struggling in such situations and this is why I have chosen this issue to continue with”, the inventor explained.

Pokemon Go is a free-to-play location-based augmented reality mobile app game, released on July 2016. The game accesses a smartphone's GPS and camera to allow players to explore their surroundings in search of more than 100 Pokemon creatures. Features within the game include "Pokestops" — where users collect items they can use — and gyms, which are larger landmarks that users battle to control.

EpiSafe consists of a safety device designed to act as a monitor/alarm for epilepsy patients and their caregivers in order to prepare for a seizure event and to act as a recording/sensor device for collecting data for clinicians who manage the disorder in primary and secondary care.

“My brother Trevor passed away from a seizure and I suffer from a milder form of it myself, so I know how vulnerable it can be for someone with epilepsy”, the entrepreneur observed.

Senseez are colorful, lightweight, fun-shaped portable vibrating cushions that provide a gentle sensation when they are squeezed or sat on, relaxing, calming and soothing the body.

They can be used to calm children who suffer from Autism, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or sensory processing disorder.

Shortly after the birth, Rose had problems in breathing and spent a week in Intensive Care Unit. Her mother Sinead thought that the cribs in which her daughter was sleeping weren’t safe enough.

Maria developed this invention because she couldn’t find the right glasses for Erin, since all of the glasses she tried kept slipping down her face.

The mother decided to take action after she called eyeglasses manufacturers to tell them of the need for special glasses, and they told her that such a product was not necessary.

“Do your research, but when one door closes, another one definitely opens. I found that out myself. Just keep smiling and carrying on. Sooner or later, you are going to be that success”, Maria explained.

The solution consists of a handling system, a daily living aid for people with limited dexterity in their hands, fingers and wrists.

After realizing this need, the inventor did some research, and wasn’t able to find an automatic gripping and grasping device, so he decided to take action, and later founded his own company - Gripability.

Sierra was inspired by her friend, who struggled to recover from a concussion.

"I play soccer and it took her out of soccer entirely," the student explained. "She had to quit and she had really bad grades for awhile and she just had to, it took her a long time to come back from it."

Sierra partnered with Banner Concussion Center for the signs and symptoms to watch for. "They gave me a list of questions and they also gave me a bunch of symptoms," the inventor noted. "You have to ask and they gave me a list of those, they basically out-looked the medical aspect of this app”.

The design incorporates a stainless bar with two support posts. Springs located within the posts apply a downward bias on the bar. The point of a Cook or Chef knife is inserted under the biased bar, retaining the knife point in position. The bar moves vertically, allowing the knife to move forward, back, up and down, with the point of the knife remaining in contact with the bar at all times.

This enables anyone to cut, chop and slice using a minimum of effort and requires only a light grip on the handle of the knife.