Wearable sensors may boost recovery in stroke patients

London: Scientists are developing novel wearable sensors that could help speed up the recovery of stroke patients.

The sensors send information to doctors continuously, and could allow them to more closely monitor the effectiveness of their care.

"It is almost mechanically imperceptible to the patient who is wearing the device," said John Rogers, of Northwestern University in Chicago in the US, who developed the sensors.  "And you can embed all sorts of advanced sensor functionality, microprocessor computing capability, power supplies and WiFi into this very unusual platform, and that is the uniqueness of what we do," said Rogers.

The technology to put sensors on the body to assess which muscle groups work or not can pinpoint the areas affected by the stroke, Dr Lizzy McAninch told BBC News.  The technology can help target therapies to specifically improve those issues.

McAninch had a stroke two years ago. She could not move or speak or swallow for several weeks.  She is testing the wearable sensors that might speed her recovery. The sensors continue to send back readings even after she has finished her exercises.

This means that her therapist Kristen Hohl, from the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, can monitor her progress at home.